Facing the Past Facing the Future
by famous99
Summary: Final update. When Lucas Scott joins the same team with his brother he must face both the past Dan & Nathan and the future Dan, Nathan, his mom and Keith. Includes LucasBrooke! Please R & R.
1. The House

Disclaimer: The characters belong to the WB, I'm just having fun with them.  
  
Lucas stood in middle of the foyer, with Peyton standing before him and Brooke standing behind him. He looked from girl to girl, trying to make up his mind. He had called out to Peyton and told her not to go, but did that mean he was choosing her, even though he liked Brooke? Luke felt like someone had punched him in the gut, and it was making him dizzy as if he was seeing stars.  
He looked from Brooke to Peyton and Peyton to Brooke as they in turn looked to him and then at each other. Why did Peyton make everything so complicated? As the thought leaped into his mind, Peyton looked at him again and reached for the door, but before she could open it Keith walked in.  
"What's going on?" asked his uncle.  
No one said anything. Lucas didn't know how to answer. "Keith," he should say, "I have two beautiful girls standing before me and they both want me. I've just got to make up my mind. Which would you choose?" But no, he couldn't say that. Not in front of the girls.  
"Lucas, I told you, you're grounded. That means no guests."  
Brooke stared at him open-mouthed. She raised her brows. "Grounded? For what?"  
"Whatever," said Lucas. "It's not important." He was not going to tell Brooke of all people that he was being punished for getting drunk and getting a tattoo. He'd never live it down. Not that he'd ever live this one down either.  
"The point is," Keith continued, "Lucas should not be entertaining. I'm sorry girls, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."  
Lucas tried to hide the red that was creeping up into his cheeks. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and rubbed his forehead. His head was beginning to throb. "I'm sorry," he told the girls.  
"You were a naughty boy," Brooke said coyly, stroking Lucas's cheek with her finger. She started to say something else, but she caught Peyton's look and stopped.  
"See you at school Lucas," said Peyton. Brooke grabbed her jacked and followed Petyon out the front door.  
"What was that all about?" Keith asked crossly. "I told you this morning that you were grounded. Why are you taking advantage of me?"  
Lucas fell into a chair, rubbing his head again, and felt the air rushing out from him. His head was killing. He couldn't believe how grateful he was that Keith had embarrassed him in front of two beautiful girls. But he was and now he had to face his angry uncle. "I didn't mean to," was all Lucas muster. "I didn't invite Peyton over, she just popped in."  
"What about Brooke?"  
"Her I invited over. I wasn't thinking. I won't do it again."  
"You're damn right you won't. You know, when you're mother asked me to move in with you for the next six weeks, I didn't expect this. You're a good kid. But since you got onto that basketball team, you have not been yourself."  
"Since I got on that basketball, I have to face my brother and my deadbeat father nearly every day." Lucas got up and stalked to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.  
Keith was right behind him, banging his bedroom door open and angrily saying, "You can't hide behind them forever."  
"Excuse me?"  
"You heard me. You can't hide behind Nathan and Dan forever. For sixteen years you've all been living in this little town and everyone knew this would eventually happen. My brother is a jerk. His son can be one too, but that does not mean that you can trash your life because of it. They don't matter that much."  
"To you maybe, but for me it's different. Your dad did not abandon you. Your dad never pretended that you're not his son that he had nothing to do with you." The heat was rising in Lucas's face. The anger swelled inside of him. He grabbed one of his plastic trophies, one he got for playing basketball at the Y when he was a kid and threw it at the mirror.  
"You can never know what it's really like Keith, no matter what you say." A wave of nausea hit Lucas. He ran out of the room, to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. Lucas grabbed his aching arm. He wished he had not thrown the trophy with his bad arm, because the place where he got his tattoo was throbbing.  
"You're arm hurting you?"  
"Like the dickens."  
"I wanted to have it checked out before the game."  
"It's fine."  
Lucas leaned against the sink, a splinter of glass was in his finger. "You're changing the subject." His right hand was massaging his left arm.  
  
"I am," said Keith.  
"Why?"  
"Because I don't know what to say." Keith sighed and rubbed his day old stubble. He held onto the doorknob and said, "Karen and I knew this day would come and we knew that it would wreak havoc on your life. Your mother has been preparing you for this from the day you were born, Lucas. She gave you all the love and attention you needed. But frankly, you are not living up to that love and that trust she has given you. Dan is not worth your anger. He only deserves your pity, because he's passed on such a great son."  
"What about Nathan?"  
Keith did not have a chance to answer. Lucas pushed the toilet seat up and hurled, everything he had eaten came up from the day.  
Keith jumped to Lucas's side and stroked his nephew's back. "You're getting your ass in that truck and we're going to the ER. Let's just pray you don't have blood poisoning or something. We'll talk more on the way."  
"Maybe we can negotiate this grounding thing." Lucas said, wiping his mouth off with a towel.  
"Maybe you can explain why you had two girls practically foaming at their mouths, hoping to get their paws on you."  
"If I only could." 


	2. The Hospital

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me. just having some fun with them.  
  
Keith kept giving Lucas worried looks during the drive to the Emergency Room. At one red light, he reached over and felt his young nephew's forehead. "You feel a little feverish," he said.  
Lucas shrugged. "I'm fine Keith."  
"You threw up."  
"It's probably just a virus. I can't believe I followed you into the truck."  
"It wasn't a choice."  
Lucas wanted to mutter, "you haven't been giving me too many choices lately," but decided against it. He leaned his head against the cool window and let his thoughts drift back to Peyton and Brooke. What was he going to do?  
"So what was the deal with the girls?" asked Keith, breaking the silence.  
Lucas sighed. He told Keith about how he and Peyton had started something - he wasn't going to tell Keith that they were about to go to bed with each other - when he had asked Peyton for too much. "She just wanted to kiss," he explained, "and I wanted a relationship."  
Keith glanced knowingly at Lucas, but wisely kept quiet.  
"We agreed to be friends and that's when I hooked up with Brooke. But tonight Peyton came over and told me that she really wanted what I wanted. She wanted to go together. But Brooke was here and she came out and said one of her usual glib lines -"  
"Which was what?" asked Keith.  
"She said something like, 'you read to score?' Peyton totally misunderstood."  
"I can see why."  
"She was talking about a video game," Luke said defensively. "We were about to sit down and play some video games."  
Keith laughed. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes I am sure." It wasn't like he was going to have sex at home, when he knew Keith could walk in at any moment.  
Keith pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and started to circle for a spot close to the emergency room. "So what are you going to do?"  
"I don't know. On one hand, I want to hook up with Peyton. On the other hand, I really like Brooke. She's not just a party animal."  
Keith pulled into a spot and turned off the ignition. "Let's figure out what's wrong with you first. We'll worry about the ladies later."  
"I'm telling you man, you are over reacting."  
"Better I over react. If you get seriously injured or die on my watch, I'm going to have to face your mom. And if I have to face your mom, you better wish you died, because you're going to face her with me."  
  
The laughter that had bubbled to the surface as they walked into the ER, disappeared as soon as Luke spotted Dan in middle of the waiting area. He would have walked right out, if Keith's strong arm had not kept him back.  
"He's probably just waiting for Nathan," Keith whispered.  
Lucas had nearly forgotten that his brother had collapsed during the basketball game.  
"Is he okay?" Lucas knew that Keith would have called.  
"Yes. He'll be fine." Though Keith was not so sure. Not with Dan constantly belittling Nathan. "It was probably just exhaustion. Nathan can get too intense for his own good." But Keith didn't believe what he was saying. He knew it was probably more and the problem would be swept under the rug. He would have to put his faith in Deb to do the right thing.  
"Just go to the desk and check in with the nurse. I'll go see what's doing with Dan and Deb."  
"Oh good, Keith you're here," Deb said frantically. "Have you heard from Nathan?"  
"Heard from him? Isn't he strapped to an IV?"  
"He pulled it out and ran off. Did he call you?"  
"No Deb. I'm sorry." Not that Nathan ever called him. He wasn't very close to his brown hair, brown eyed nephew.  
"What about Luke. Has Luke talked to him?"  
"I've been with Luke for the past hour - No one has called."  
"He ran off about an hour ago. But maybe Luke can make some calls."  
"I'll ask him to while we're waiting for the doctor."  
"Is he all right?" Deb felt as if she had been slapped out of hysteria. "Did he collapse too?"  
"No. He's just vomiting. He got a tattoo last night and it doesn't look too good. I want him to check it out."  
Deb raised her brows. Karen is going to kill them, she thought. Keith for allowing him to do it and Lucas for actually doing it.  
"We'll let you know if we hear anything."  
  
While Keith was talking to Deb, Lucas was sitting with the triage nurse answering her many questions. His eyes kept drifting over to his uncle and Deb. He wondered what they were saying and how Nathan was doing. He felt guilty about not worrying more about Nathan. Even if he didn't want to think of Nathan as a brother, he was still a teammate, a human being, and he had fainted in middle of a basketball game. And his mind had been wrapped around which girl he would get into bed with first.  
"You seem very interested in the people over there," said the nurse. She looked young, barely out of high school.  
Lucas shrugged. "I know their son. We're both on the same team."  
"Basketball, right? I heard he collapsed in middle of a game."  
Lucas nodded.  
The nurse stuck a thermometer in his ear. "You're burning up. You played tonight? Did you even manage to see the basket? I'm surprised you weren't brought in with the other kid."  
"Is the other kid going to be all right?" Lucas asked, ignoring the commentary about how he felt, because he felt sort of icky, but not as if he was on his death bead.  
"He should be fine. Though he pulled out the IV and ran off. I shouldn't be saying this," she said and leaned in closer, "but if I was a betting woman, I'd guess his blood work tested positive for drugs. Why else would he run off?"  
Lucas looked at the nurse, but didn't bother answering her question. If she knew Dan Scott, she would have a hundred reasons why Nathan might run off. It was amazing Nathan had stuck it out as long as he had.  
  
Lucas was sitting in the waiting area when Keith came over to him. Deb and Dan had left together, though Deb had a familiar look on her face. Her face was filled with hate, the same way he felt every time he saw Dan.  
Keith came over and handed him the cell phone. "Nathan up and disappeared," he told his nephew. "Deb asked if you could call around. Maybe on of his friends has seen him."  
Lucas took the phone without a word and started dialing. He dialed a few guys on the team, but all had been contacted before by Dan or Deb and none of them had seen Nathan. He tried Brooke, who sounded genuinely concerned, but had no idea where he was. Peyton was distant. He knew they weren't going together anymore, but thought perhaps Nathan might turn up there. But Peyton was certain that she was the only one in her room and offered her webcam as proof.  
Finally, Lucas dialed Haley's number.  
"Hey Hale's, it's Luke."  
"Lucas!" At the other end, Haley eyed Nathan who was sitting on her bed. "What's up? How come you're calling?"  
"Deb asked me to call. Nathan left the hospital. Do you have any idea where he might be?"  
She looked at Nathan, who was shaking his head and mouthing, "don't tell him."  
"Um, No Lucas," she swallowed. "I - um - no- I don't know where he is."  
Lucas heard she was lying. He knew Haley James inside out. He knew when she was hiding the truth. Lucas stayed on the line and didn't say anything. He took a peripheral look of Keith and then edged away, so his uncle would not hear. "He's there, isn't he?"  
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said.  
"I won't say anything. Just keep an eye on him. Don't let him do anything stupid."  
Haley sighed. "Good night Lucas."  
"G'night Hales."  
He turned to his uncle. "No luck."  
Keith shrugged his shoulders. "We did what we can. I'm sure Nathan will be fine. Let's focus on getting you better."  
"I'm fine," he told his uncle.  
"I spoke to the triage nurse, I heard you have a temperature was at 104?." 


	3. Bed Rest

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me. just having some fun with them. Thanks for all the great reviews! I've been listening to your suggestions and hope to incorporate some of them!  
  
"Get into bed," commanded Keith.  
Lucas didn't argue. He kicked off his sneakers and climbed into bed, not even bothering to take off his jeans or t-shirt. He let Keith tuck the covers around him, as his uncle had often done when he was a little boy.  
"Your temperature is coming down," Keith offered after feeling Lucas's forehead for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night. He sighed. "Your mother is going to call tomorrow and I'm going to have to tell her about this."  
"No you don't," said Lucas.  
Keith glared at Luke. "Of course I do! You have blood poisoning. I can't hide that. Besides," said Keith as if he had actually considered hiding the truth from Karen, "the insurance is sure to send a copy of the hospital bill."  
"They don't write what's wrong with you. So we'll tell her I have the flu. Come on Keith, don't tell her about this."  
Karen would kill him, thought Lucas. She would take the first flight home, dump the cooking school, and nurse him back to health, so that she could throttle him when he was better. He had promised her that he would behave - and he was behaving for the most part. It was his body after all, but she would be more upset that he had gotten a tattoo in an unsanitary environment than she would be about the tattoo.  
Not that he remembered the tattoo parlor very well. He had been drunk. He assumed that even in a stupor, he had the brains to make sure the needles were clean, but obviously he was wrong. The doctor had tested for HIV and thank God the test had come back negative, but the doctor said he would have to be retested in six months.  
Keith eyed his nephews and played with the covers some more. He had a half a mind to take the cover and choke the boy, but thought the police might have issues with that. Not that now was the time to remind Lucas how stupid he had been. The boy was too feverish to even remember any conversation they might have tonight.  
"We'll see. In the meanwhile, you've got to get better. I'm going to go out and fill the prescription the doctor gave you. Do you need anything while I'm out?"  
Lucas shook his head. He started to feel sleepy. It hurt behind his eyes and his muscles felt sore all over. He knew it was all symptoms of the fever. That was why shivers went up and down his spine every few minutes and then he felt hot all over.  
As soon as Lucas heard Keith's truck start up and back up the drive way, he leaned over for the phone and dialed Haley's number.  
"Hales," he said, "is Nathan still there?"  
"I told you he wasn't here to begin with," she insisted. They didn't even bother to exchange greetings.  
"Look Haley, I may have a fever of a hundred four, but my brain isn't that addled. I know when you're lying and I know Nathan was there when I called before. Is he still there?"  
"You what?"  
"It's a long story. I probably won't make it into school on Monday, but I'll get into that another time. Put my brother on the phone."  
Lucas couldn't see Haley giving Nathan an imploring look. But she couldn't deny Lucas. When he had called Nathan his brother, there was no contempt in his voice. There was just genuine concern. She stretched out her hand, offering Nathan the phone. Reluctantly, he took it.  
"Hello."  
"Nathan. It's Luke. How are you doing?"  
"I'm fine."  
"Deb looked pretty worried when I saw her."  
Nathan sighed. His mother would worry. But he couldn't face her. He knew that he would have to admit taking the drugs, and his father would kill him - with words - but his mother would be so disappointed and hurt, that it would be worse than Dan berating him.  
"I'm not ready to see her yet."  
"Maybe if you called her. Let her know that you're okay."  
"Why are you so concerned about my mother?"  
Lucas shrugged and then realized Nathan couldn't see him through the phone. "I don't know. Maybe because she's been so good to my mom. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I - it's not my place. I just felt bad when I saw her in the hospital."  
"You came to see me in the hospital?"  
Lucas laughed. "We're not there yet Nathan. Maybe one day. No, Keith dragged me to the emergency room. I have blood poisoning."  
"Blood poisoning?"  
Hailey grabbed the phone, but Nathan didn't let go. They shared by each putting their ear to the receiver. "Blood poisoning? How'd you do that Lucas?" asked Hailey.  
So he told them.  
"I guess stupidness is genetic," said Nathan. "It must come from our - from Dan."  
Lucas was silent for a moment. "So it was drugs that made you collapse?"  
Nathan sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I only took for the last week or so. Look, Lucas."  
"You don't have to say it," he cut Nathan off. "It's not my business to say anything. Just don't keep using."  
"Don't get any more tattoos."  
"Deal." 


	4. The Visitors

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me. just having some fun with them.  
  
By Monday afternoon, Lucas was itching to get out of bed, but Keith was acting like a warden. "I didn't forget that I grounded you," he told Lucas, when he caught Luke trying to get dressed. "You're not going anywhere. Not in your condition. Get back into bed."  
"Can't I at least sit in the living room? I feel a lot better Keith."  
Friday night, after the game and the emergency room, had not been the worst of the nausea. The nausea and vomiting continued throughout the weekend, enough to make Keith want to drag Lucas to the emergency room again. But Luke had refused, claiming he was too weak to move. By Sunday the fever had broken and Luke was ready to get out of the house, but Keith refused.  
As Keith helped his nephew settle onto the couch, Lucas asked, "Don't you have to go to the garage? You can leave me here by myself. I'll be all right. Seriously, Keith this is getting old. You're like a grandma."  
So after a Keith playfully slugged Luke in his good arm, he left for work, leaving his nephew alone. Lucas was relieved to have the house to himself. He was surprised when there was a knock at the front door. Haley would be in school and she always just let herself in the back way. Lucas kicked off the covers and headed to the front door.  
He tried to hide his surprise when he saw Nathan standing there.  
"Is it okay if I come in?"  
A queasy feeling returned to Lucas's stomach. He wasn't sure if it was the blood poisoning or if it was the sight of his brother at the door.  
  
"I hope you don't mind. Mom said I didn't have to go to school, but she made me come to the diner with her. I got bored and when Keith mentioned you were home."  
"It's okay. Come in."  
He led Nathan into the living room, trying to pick up as he went along. Keith was too busy playing nursemaid to bother cleaning up around the house. Lucas tried not to be embarrassed about the shabby furniture. The Sofa was as old as he was and the easy chair once belonged to his grandfather, his mom's dad. It was nothing like the opulence that Nathan lived with.  
"How are you feeling?" Nathan asked. He sat down in the easy chair, surveying the room around him. He hid his dismay well, because Lucas didn't see how surprised Nathan was at how his brother lived. It didn't seem fair that he had money and comfort, when Karen and Lucas had to live in poverty.  
"Better. Just wish the warden would loosen up."  
"Keith?"  
Lucas nodded. "He's terrified that my mom is going to kill him."  
"You mean, kill you."  
"Both of us."  
Nathan smiled. It was the first smile since he had started taking the drugs last week. "I called my mom, like you suggested. She kicked out my - Dan." Jeez, he never knew how to refer to Dan around Lucas. If he said my dad, well, that would be doing the same thing Dan had done all those years ago, by abandoning Lucas. But Dan wasn't Lucas's dad. Not in the real sense of the word, only in the biological one.  
Lucas whistled softly. "That was brave."  
Nathan shrugged. "It just makes things more screwed up. I had to admit to taking the drugs and." his voice trailed off.  
"What did Deb say?"  
"She flipped and grounded me for life. That's why I had to come to the café with her if I wasn't going to school."  
"Well Keith grounded me - I guess indefinitely - for the tattoo and coming home drunk." Lucas laughed. It wasn't a laughing matter, but it seemed ironic that both he Nathan were living out such similar paths. "Then he came home and saw two girls standing in the foyer on Friday night. I thought he would blow a gasket."  
Nathan laughed. He envied Lucas's relationship with Keith. Lately, it seemed to him that he had gotten the short end of the stick when Dan had chosen to marry his mother and be a father to him.  
"Want to watch some TV?" offered Lucas.  
Nathan agreed and a few hours later, when Deb came knocking at the door she found her son and his brother sitting side by side on the worn striped sofa laughing at daytime soap operas.  
"I thought you boys might be hungry. I brought some food over," she said.  
She went into the kitchen and unpacked the soup and other goodies she brought and placed them on the tray. She stood by the kitchen door, watching over the two boys thinking that their friendship would be a good thing for Nathan. She was scared for her son and what this separation with Dan might do to him.  
  
After she had fed them, Deb insisted that Nathan come back to the café with her so that Lucas could get his rest. He was about to close his eyes to get some sleep, when the bell rang.  
"Come in," called Lucas. "What did you forget?" He looked around, but didn't see anything belonging to Nathan or Deb, but thought perhaps there was something in the kitchen. But it wasn't Nathan or his mother. It was Brooke.  
"Playing hooky?" she asked.  
"Yup," he answered. He was starting to get the hang of answering to Brooke. Everything that came out of her mouth was flirtatious and Lucas was not a flirt. He was too serious and forgot how to answer back most of the time.  
"Good," she said, "Then you're not contagious." She dropped her pink backpack on the easy chair and sidled up next Lucas on the couch, forcing him to sit up.  
"Here to play nursemaid?" he asked.  
"You poor thing. Were you alone all day?"  
"For some of the day."  
"Well, school was sure boring without you. Between you and your brother being out, there was nothing to do but gossip."  
"I'm sure that kept you busy through third period at least."  
"It got old halfway through second, but I managed to get by the rest of the day."  
"About the other night," Lucas started to say.  
Brooke held up a finger to Lucas's lip, getting very close. "Let's not talk about it." She moved in closer to Lucas, moving her head sideways so that she could kiss him, when Keith walked in. 


	5. The Argument

Disclaimer: The characters still don't belong to me. but they do belong to the WB! Thanks for all the great reviews!  
  
"Keith."  
Lucas sat up straight and Brooke quickly rolled off of him, pulling down her already short skirt.  
"Hi, Mr. Scott."  
Keith raised his eyebrows. "Hi. Brooke, right?"  
"Yeah," she said with a forced laugh. "That's me."  
"So what are you doing here?" asked Lucas.  
"I'm staying here. Remember?" He threw a paperback book onto Lucas's lap. "I stopped by the library for some reading material."  
Lucas studied the book. "Thanks."  
"So you came to give Lucas his homework?"  
"Um, no," said Brooke. Red crept into her face. "I just came to visit the sick. You know, do a good deed." Brooke stood up. "I guess this isn't the best time. I hope to see you in school soon." She grabbed her backpack, waved good-bye and slunk out the front door.  
Lucas didn't even wait for Keith to sit down. "Keith, I swear, I didn't invite her over. But once she came over, what was I supposed to do, throw her out? I've been going crazy here all weekend. I'm not used to sitting around the house."  
Keith collapsed into the easy chair. "Did I say anything? All I said was that I got you a book from the library. But you sound very guilty."  
Lucas raised his brow. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But Keith was not saying anything. It was as if it was normal for his uncle to walk in on him with a girl all over him. though lately it was becoming normal.  
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have had anyone over. And I know I've been screwing up a lot lately, but Keith I swear, I'll start cleaning up my act."  
"Luke, I didn't say anything. You're projecting."  
You just found a girl leaning over me on the couch, thought Lucas, who decided not to point out the obvious facts to his uncle. He flipped through the book. "Is it any good?" he asked.  
Keith shrugged. "I asked the librarian what you might go for, since you've read most of Steinbeck. She tried to sell me on some of those graphic novels, but they didn't seem like your speed."  
"Nathan stopped by," Lucas admitted.  
"You were having a party while I was at work."  
"Let's not exaggerate."  
Keith studied Lucas. "I don't see any blood or black and blue marks. So you didn't fight."  
"He can be a jerk, man, but he wouldn't beat on a dying man."  
"Dying?" Keith laughed. "You were ready to go to school this morning."  
"And I'm ready to go to school tomorrow."  
"We'll see," said Keith. "What did you and Nathan talk about?"  
"Deb kicked Dan out."  
"She told me this morning when I stopped by the café." He sighed. "She has a lot of courage. This is going to be a very difficult time for her and Nathan. My brother is not going to go down quietly."  
"Did Deb tell you why Nathan collapsed?"  
"You mean the drugs? Yeah, she told me."  
"I think Nathan needs your good influence. You've been like a dad to me and I've never even thought of taking drugs."  
Keith rolled his eyes. "No. You just got a tattoo and now we're awaiting results on HIV tests."  
"It came back negative!"  
Keith stood. His easy look disappeared. "The other night, you were an ass. Don't keep acting like one." He stood over Lucas, his stocky figure looming. "It's a very real possibility that the HIV test can come back positive in six months."  
"Don't worry so much Keith."  
"Someone's got to worry for you," shouted Keith. Luke cowered. "You have always been so responsible. Your head has always been screwed on straight. But you are so sixteen. You think you're immortal. That nothing can kill you, but the threat of HIV is very real. And until that second test comes back negative you better act accordingly."  
Keith took a deep breath. "Look," he said lowering his voice, "it's normal to want to be with a girl. I'm sure your Mom prefers you stay celibate, I certainly do, but I know neither of us can stop you. But until you are one hundred percent sure that you are negative, well, I don't want you to have any girls over here."  
"I wasn't going to sleep with Brooke."  
"You're missing my point."  
"I'm not missing your point. I get it. Don't have sex, at least not for the next six months. And I'm human, so I can die. I get it Keith."  
"Besides pissing me off kid, you're really making me wonder if I ever knew you."  
Keith stalked out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving a bewildered Lucas on the couch. 


	6. Bad Boy

Disclaimer: The characters still don't belong to me. but they do belong to the WB! Thanks for all the great reviews!  
  
The next morning Lucas got ready for school. Keith silently watched his nephew, obviously displeased. The elder Scott leaned against the counter, with a cup of coffee in his hand, while the younger one poured cereal into his bowl.  
"Keith."  
"Lucas," Keith said simultaneously.  
They chuckled.  
"You can afford another day home from school."  
"The doctor said it would be okay. I called him." Lucas slowly chewed on his Crispy Corn Bran. "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to tick you off."  
"I just want you to be safe Lucas."  
"I know."  
Keith set down his cup of coffee. "If you insist on going to school, then meet me at the café as soon as you're done."  
"What if Dan's there?"  
"You can't keep hiding from him. This is a small town."  
  
Nothing had changed in school, but Lucas felt like he had aged six years over the long weekend. He walked down the hall, watched the other students talking, laughing, and horsing around. He sat through history class with his mind far away from the Hundred Years' War. Peyton was sitting two rows over from him and the sight of her was intoxicating.  
"Mr. Scott," called his history teacher. "Would you care to share with the class some of the roots of the conflicts of the Hundred Years' War? It will be on the test tomorrow."  
  
"We have a test tomorrow?" Lucas asked in surprise.  
"Mr. Scott, I know you were out for a day, but the test was announced two weeks ago."  
"Oh. Well, I had a very high fever this weekend; it must have affected my memory." Peyton gave him a curious look. Lucas guessed word had not spread as he thought it had. He thought Brooke would have said something to Peyton.  
"I'm sorry to hear that. There is a test tomorrow and the question I just asked will be on the test."  
"Then I say the war started over land."  
"Care to elaborate?"  
"I didn't study yet. But I'm sure I'll know it by tomorrow."  
The teacher shook his head, trying to hide an amused look on his face, and went onto the next victim. Before Lucas realized it, there was a note on his desk. It was from Peyton. "Fever?" it read. "I thought you were ditching. What's this about a fever?"  
"I don't ditch," he scribbled back. "Why would you think that? And if my mother asks, I had the flu."  
The kid next to him graciously agreed to play messenger. Peyton looked at him with raised brows as if he should know why he should have ditched. A moment later, another note was on his desk. "You know, because of Friday night," it said.  
"What about it?" he wrote back unfeelingly. He suddenly felt irritated. Why on earth would he have to avoid her, because she made a declaration of love? If she knew him at all, she would know that he would not avoid her because of the scene at his house on Friday night.  
When Peyton read the note, it was as if a dark cloud passed over her face. She crumpled up the note and tossed it to the edge of her desk, where it toppled to the floor. But she did not move to pick up the litter. As soon as the bell rang, she grabbed her books and zoomed for the door, making sure Lucas could not catch up with her.  
"Mr. Scott, may I speak with you a moment?" asked the teacher.  
"I'll be late for my next class." Which he shared with both Peyton and Nathan.  
"I'll write you a pass. Take a seat," instructed the teacher.  
Lucas sat and endured probing questions because of his unusual behavior. Jeez, Lucas was tired of it. Everyone thought he was this angel. His teacher never expected a wiseass comment from Lucas Scott, the "good" one. His mother expected him to be act like an adult half the time, and Keith constantly commented on how Lucas was a straight up kid, who always behaved. Even Peyton expected to be handled with kids gloves.  
"I just got tired of being good," Lucas said abruptly, interrupting the teacher. "I need to get to English." He grabbed his backback and walked to his next class. Peyton was waiting for him outside.  
She was wearing an olive pair of cargo pants and a black sleeveless top. Her curls cascaded down to her shoulders. Damn, she was beautiful, thought Lucas.  
"You had the flu?" she asked.  
"Only if my mom asks, but it was really blood poisoning."  
"How'd you manage that?" she asked coolly.  
"I got a tattoo the other night, when I was with Brooke. I was drunk," he said.  
"So what happened Friday night? I thought it was something, but according to you."  
"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant, it wasn't a big deal."  
"I thought it was. And I've been waiting for you to call, to say something."  
"Well, I was otherwise engaged. I had a hot date with my bed and the toilet bowl."  
"Okay, sorry. I didn't know that until now. But Lucas, I poured out my heart to you."  
"I know."  
"And ."  
"And what Peyton? I was the first one to open up and pour my heart and you just ran out of the room. You didn't say a word. Then you asked if we could be friends and I said sure. I moved on and so now you're jealous. Isn't that right?"  
Peyton chewed on her lips. She hadn't expected Lucas to act this way. She hadn't expected that he would turn her down. She looked at the floor, concentrating hard on the dried gum, hoping the tears would spring out of her eyes.  
"I'd like to be friends Peyton, but I think I want to give this thing with Brooke a try." He took a step closer, and put his hand on her arms. "I'm sorry," he said softly, some of the old Lucas coming back.  
She shrugged off his arm and ran down the hall. Lucas was about to go after her, when his English teacher poked his head out the door and asked, "Care to join us Mr. Scott?" 


	7. Night Visitor

Disclaimer: The characters still don't belong to me. but they do belong to the WB!  
  
Later that afternoon, when Lucas walked into the Café he found a handful of customers quietly talking over coffee and a late lunch. There was also Nathan sitting at the counter, with his head bent over an open textbook. Haley was on the other side of the counter, leaning too closely to Nathan. The two didn't even notice Lucas walking into the diner, until he walked up to the counter and slammed his books down beside Nathan.  
Haley jumped at the sound, but quickly regained her composure. "Hi Lucas," she said cheerily, ignoring her best friend's scowl. "How are you feeling?"  
"Fine," he said. Somehow the semi truce he had made with Nathan the other day, didn't make it easier for him to watch them together. "What are the two of you working on?"  
"English essay," explained Nathan. "Kelly assigned it this afternoon."  
Not that Lucas would know what was assigned in English, because when Mr. Kelly had stuck his head out of the classroom, he chose to run after Peyton and make sure she was all right.  
"I can give you the assignment."  
"Thanks," Lucas said. He took a seat next to Nathan. "Keith around? He asked me to meet him here after school."  
"Yes, Keith is around," came his uncle's voice from behind. Lucas whirled around in surprise. "School was out an hour ago. Where have you been?"  
"I didn't realize you wanted me to come straight here."  
"Lucas, what part of grounded don't you understand?" Keith edged closer to his nephew and lowered his voice, so the customers wouldn't hear. "Now tell me where you were."  
Lucas sighed. "Detention."  
"For what?" Keith failed to keep his voice down.  
"I cut English and Kelly caught me."  
Nathan sniggered, but covered up quickly. Not quick enough, because Keith glanced over at him and then turned to Lucas. "Explain."  
"My history teacher kept me late, to discuss our test tomorrow," Lucas said stretching the truth. He then explained how he went after Peyton, even though the English teacher had extended a personal invitation to him. "He caught up with me later in the day and told me I had to serve detention. It's not a big deal."  
Keith shook his head. It wasn't really a big deal, he thought to himself, except that Lucas had been acting out since his mother had left town and a pattern was forming. "You didn't have to cut class. You could have stayed home altogether. I told you that this morning."  
"Keith," whined Lucas, "it wasn't that. I just wanted to make sure Peyton was all right."  
He had caught up to her in the parking lot and cornered her before she could jump into her convertible. But Peyton did not want to talk. He tried to calm her down before she started to drive, so that she didn't start running red lights as she had a few weeks earlier, but she didn't want to hear from Lucas. He then realized, he was the last person she wanted to hear from. He let her get into the car and watch as she zoomed off, leaving a cloud of exhaust fumes in her wake.  
"Why'd you make me come to the café anyway? If you want to play warden, we can always do it at your shop."  
"I'm not trying to play warden. I want you to help Deb out in the afternoon. She needs the help. Business is picking up, and another pair of hands would be useful after school."  
Just then Deb walked out. She held out two pair of aprons. "You too Nathan. Every day after school. And when practice starts up again, you can come after practice. And I am playing warden," she told her son.  
"You can't be serious, Mom," he said.  
"I sure am."  
Nathan opened up his mouth to say something, but Haley touched his arm. He glanced over at his tutor/girlfriend and thought about the proposition again. Seeing Haley every day after school, working side by side wouldn't be such an ordeal, he thought to himself.  
Lucas caught their exchange and balked at the idea. "I'm not working together with him. I'll work at your shop Keith, but not here." The thought of watching his best friend and semi-estranged brother ogle each other day after day made him sick to his stomach.  
Keith roughly pulled Lucas to the side. "I'm not giving you a choice. I want you to work here at your mom's café. This is for her. Not for you, not for me, not for Nathan and not for Haley. You and Nathan managed to find some sort of truce yesterday, and you better keep finding that middle ground, because until further notice, you are here until the dinner shift."  
Lucas scowled but grabbed one of the aprons out of Deb's hands and put it on around his waist. "Yes sir," he said sarcastically saluting his uncle.  
  
Lucas and Nathan worked side by side, silently under the watchful eye of Deb and their uncle Keith. It was about an hour before quitting time, when Brooke walked in. She cheerily waved at Haley and Nathan, but made a beeline to Lucas.  
She sidled up to him and put a hand around his immense upper arm. "I see you're feeling better," she whispered into the back of his head.  
He smiled and put down the tub of dirty dishes he was carrying. "Now that you're here," he said.  
"Are you still grounded?" she asked.  
"And then some," he laughed sheepishly. "But Keith has to work late tonight. You can come over for a little while," he said quietly in her ear. He leaned in closely and nibbled on her lobe.  
  
Keith was in the kitchen, watching through the window used for serving. He watched Lucas with Brooke. Their hands were all over each other. They were giggling conspiratorially, as if they had a big secret to share. Keith shook his head.  
"What's wrong?" Deb asked, coming over.  
"Luke and Brooke Davis are a bad match. And I don't like it," he said.  
  
At seven, just as the dinner shift started to swing under way, Lucas threw his apron behind the counter, grabbed a couple of sandwiches and headed home. He had told Brooke to come about eight, when Keith was sure to be gone for the evening. But Lucas wanted to straighten up some, in case the stink of vomit still lingered in the house.  
He popped the antibiotics into his mouth and washed them down with a glass of water. He then set out to wash all the dirty dishes, wipe down the counters, and sweep the kitchen floor. He gathered up all the empty wrappers lying around the living room floor, before heading to his room. He took a can of disinfectant and a fresh set of linen and by the time the bell rang at eight o'clock, his room smelled like a hospital. Not the effect he wanted, thought Lucas, but definitely better than the alternative. He stuffed the dirty linen into the hamper and jogged to the front door.  
"Ms. Davis," he said, bowing at the waist. "Lovely of you to come."  
"So nice of you to have me here," she giggled. "I brought some refreshments." She handed him a bottle of wine. "From my parents' stash," she explained. "They won't notice it's missing until Christmas."  
He led her into the living room, uncertain what to do next. "You eat?" he asked. "I grabbed some sandwiches from the café," he told her.  
"I'm famished," she answered.  
He took two plates and two glasses and set them out on the coffee table. They sat on the floor cross-legged. Lucas poured wine into both of their cups.  
"Your uncle won't come home? Will he? Because, he's actually starting to make me more nervous than Nathan's dad."  
"You and Nathan had a thing?"  
"Oh no!" she laughed. "But being that his girlfriend and I are best friends I hang out there a lot. And let me tell you, there's what to be nervous about there. But your uncle is doing a fine job in that department too!"  
"Dan makes me nervous too."  
Brooke didn't say anything, but instead toyed with sandwich before her.  
"I hope you like it," Lucas said, changing the subject. "I wasn't paying much attention to what I grabbed."  
"I love veggie wraps. Thanks." She pulled out a roasted red pepper from her wrap and held it out. "Taste," she commanded.  
He leaned forward, taking the pepper in her mouth, until his lips touched the tips of her finger. "I've never been much for vegetables, but this is good. And your fingers, well they're out of this world."  
Brooke scooted over, until she was next to Lucas. She leaned forward, so that they could kiss. They started gently, but soon started to kiss hard and furious. Lucas pulled Brooke into his lap, and reached under her shirt, unclasping her bra.  
"You do that well," she teased.  
"Lots of practice," he said.  
"I would never have guessed."  
She moved his hand, so that it touched the tips of her breast, making the nipples hard. Lucas fell back, with Brooke on top of him. She reached under his shirt, feeling his solid abs. There wasn't an inch of extra meat on Lucas. Just skin and bones, she thought.  
She kissed him harder.  
"We can't Brooke," he said, starting to pull away.  
"But we are," she said.  
"No, we've got to stop." He tried to sit up.  
"Why? You think your uncle will walk in," she said, pushing him down, and kissing him on the neck.  
"That too. But Brooke, we can't do more than kiss for now."  
"I like the kissing," she said.  
"No, I mean it." He sat up, this time forcing her to sit up with him. "I've got to be careful, for the next six months, because of that tattoo."  
That stopped Brooke cold in her tracks. "What do you mean?"  
"I had to take an HIV test. It was negative, but they say you've got to be tested again in six months. I wouldn't want to put you in any danger."  
Brooke sat up straighter, clasping her bra closed and fixing her shirt. "You really think you could have HIV?"  
"I don't think so, but do you want to take a chance? I already got blood poisoning."  
"We can be careful. Extra protection."  
"Is it worth it?"  
She eyed him. "I don't know. How are you in bed?"  
Lucas laughed. Brooke was the only one who could make him laugh like that.  
"Okay," she agreed. "Only kissing. No sex. Not until you're tested again. But Lucas, if we don't work out for whatever reason, before you're retested, I'm coming back to sleep with you."  
With laughter bubbling on his lips, he pushed Brooke down again to kiss her some more. This time, she was the one who refused.  
"I want a rematch on those videogames," she demanded. "The ones Peyton and your uncle interrupted."  
Lucas set up the games, and they played until he heard Keith's car pull up the driveway. Brooke ran out the back door, so Keith wouldn't see her. Lucas quickly dumped the bottle of wine, hiding it under the rest of the garbage. He rinsed off the dishes and was sitting on the couch, by the time Keith walked in the front door.  
"Quiet night?" asked his uncle.  
Lucas nodded.  
"Good," Keith said, ruffling the top of Lucas's head. 


	8. The Confrontation

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me, but rather to the WB.  
  
Thanks for all the great reviews. I wasn't sure where I was going with this, but thanks to the reviews and suggestions, I was able to make this a story with direction. Thanks! Keep reading and keep enjoying!  
  
Three more days, thought Lucas, as he tied the stained apron around his waist, three more days and he would be off restriction. By Sunday, Lucas could go about town as he pleased. He was counting down the days.  
Keith had worked late twice more during the week, and each time Lucas had called Brooke and invited her over. His uncle had not figured it out, and it had kept Lucas sane. At least somewhat sane. After a session of kissing and groping, Lucas would be ready to go further, and Brooke too was ready to go all the way. It took all their self-control to stop and be safe.  
"Lucas. Hey Lucas snap out of it. I need you to wipe down those tables." Haley waved a dirty rag in his face.  
"You're liking this way too much Haley."  
"What?"  
"Underlings. You're enjoying this way too much. Just remember you only have about three more days to push me around."  
A huge smile spread across Haley's face. "I'll enjoy it while I can." She pushed the rag into Lucas's hand and pushed him towards the tables.  
Lucas didn't remember the café being so busy in the afternoons, but lately it seemed that an after school crowd was making Karen's Café their hangout. The revenue would be nice for his mother and Lucas hoped the crowd would stay, but he was afraid he and Nathan were part of the draw to the restaurant. Many of the teens who were hanging out were basketball groupies that Lucas recognized from the games. Some were the guys from the team, who weren't sure what to do, now that Whitey had cancelled practice indefinitely.  
"Hey Scott," called one of their second-string teammates. Both Lucas and Nathan turned around. "I don't care which one!" laughed the teammate. "One of you, bring me a coke, okay! I'm parched."  
"It's your table," Lucas told Nathan.  
"I'm up to my eyeballs here, can't you please cover this?"  
"Your table man," Lucas insisted.  
Nathan threw down a rag into the basin of dirty dishes and went to the counter to pour a coke. He threw darts at Lucas with his eyes. He wondered what happened to the truce they had made earlier that week? Anytime Lucas was able, he stuck it to Nathan, making this waiting gig unbearable. Fortunately, Haley was there to calm him down every time he felt like punching his brother in the gut.  
The after-school crowd kept Lucas, Nathan, and Haley hopping from table to table to the kitchen and back. The workout was more intense than one of Whitey's practice sessions. It was a half-hour to quitting time when the door to the café opened and Dan walked in. "Son," he called out. Lucas turned around. At the sight of Dan his stomach muscles clenched together. Why did he always turn when Dan called out that word? It wasn't the first time this had happened. By now, Lucas should recognize Dan's voice. It was almost as if he wanted Dan to call him son. His eyes met with Dan's and their gaze held for just a moment. Lucas turned back and continued to wipe the table feverishly. "Nathan," Dan ammended. "We need to talk." Nathan stopped in his tracks. He glanced at Lucas, who was working hard at wiping a spot off the table. If he rubbed any harder, he would take the shellac off. "It's not a good time, Dad," said Nathan. "Come on, son, let's talk." Lucas went to the counter and grabbed the order for one of his tables. He took a quick look at Nathan and saw his brother struggling to maintain his composure. Nathan was clenching the pencil and order pad so hard his knuckles were turning white. "Nathan," called Lucas. "Your order's up. Table six," he said. "Come on," he urged. "Stop slacking off. We've all got to pull our weight around here." Lucas handed him the tray, but not before Dan said, "can't you take that for him." "I have enough of my own tables," he said. Lucas caught a grateful look from Nathan. "Nathan," said Dan, following his son to table six, "it's been a week. We've got to talk." "It's not a good time, Dad." Nathan slid the food off the tray and handed it to the people at the table. The group wordlessly switched dishes, not giving Nathan and grief about mixing up their orders. It was as if the entire café was trying to help Nathan out of his uncomfortable predicament. "Then how about tonight. Why don't we meet for dinner after you finish your shift here?" "Can't," said Nathan. "I have plans." "What sort of plans." Nathan gave out the last of the order and held the empty tray at his side. "Lucas and I have plans." It felt as if all buzzing in the restaurant stopped. Lucas stared at Nathan. Plans. Hanging out Monday while they were both out of school had been weird enough, but making plans, that was bizarre. Dan would never buy that line! "Can't you change the plans?" "No," piped in Lucas. "We're getting together to see how we can convince Coach Durham to resume practice. The team needs Nathan there." Lucas didn't know what possessed him to help Nathan, let alone to talk to Dan. But watching him standing before his father, helpless, trying to figure out a way to stay away from him made Lucas want to protect his brother. Lucas imagined a recovering drug addict fight the temptation of drugs the same way. "Nathan, you can make time for your old man. I insist." Just then Deb walked out. She surveyed the scene, took a deep breath and said, "Dan, you heard the boy. He has plans tonight." She walked up to her estranged husband and put a hand on his arm. "Tomorrow the three of us can meet for dinner after the café closes. For now, please leave." Dan shot an angry look at Deb, but he retreated and left the diner. "Thanks," said Nathan. "I appreciate the cover." Lucas shrugged and they went back to work.  
  
After dinner, Keith had left to work on a car in his garage. Lucas had immediately called Brooke and while he waited for her, he sat on the couch and mulled over what Keith had told him during supper. "Your mom called while you were in school," he informed his nephew. Lucas raised his brow. "How is she doing?" "She's enjoying the classes. I told her about your flu," he said. "You did? Thanks man." "She'll probably call tomorrow before school to see how you're feeling." "I'll tell her the truth. I'm feeling much better." Keith nodded. "You owe me one," he said, waving his fork at Lucas. "You owe me a big one." Recalling the conversation, Lucas felt guilty for calling Brooke, but the thought of missing an opportunity of making out, was too much to bear. Three more days, he kept reminding himself. Three more days and he could stop sneaking around. "That was quick," said Lucas, answering the door when the doorbell rang. "I just called five minutes ago." Standing in the threshold was not Brooke, but Nathan. "I hope you don't mind. My D- Dan doesn't give up easily. I thought the last place he would come looking for me, is here." "You're probably right about that," said Lucas. He waved Nathan in as Brooke bounded up the front steps. "What do we have here?" she asked. "I don't believe my eyes. Nathan Scott are you visiting your brother?" "Oh," said Nathan, ignoring Brooke's question. "I didn't realize you made plans. I can find someplace else to go. Maybe Haley's place is safe." Lucas hated the idea of Nathan spending time at Haley. Especially since her parents were in New York visiting one of Haley's brothers. "No, come in Nathan. You can hang out here." It wasn't like he and Brooke were going to have sex anyway, which is what they both wanted. "Nathan is trying to avoid his father," explained Lucas.  
He led the two guests into the living room and walked into the kitchen to find some refreshments.  
"I know about being avoided," Brooke said. "My parents try to avoid me like the plague. They leave cash lying around for me to grab and then leave me to my own devices." She had a false cheery voice. Luke had wondered about her parents and how she managed to get rip roaring drunk so often without getting into trouble.  
"You know, this deserves a blurb in the morning paper," continued Brooke.  
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.  
"The whole town knows that you guys hate each other and here you two are hanging out."  
"Lucas is just doing me a favor. My - Dan," he corrected himself, "wouldn't dare show up here."  
Brooke's smile faded. "He giving you a hard time?" she asked.  
"He hasn't had the chance. Deb won't let him near me. But today he showed up at the café." Nathan told her how Lucas came to his rescue. Luke noticed a grateful tone in Nathan's voice as he set down drinks and chips on the coffee table.  
"Will Keith mind that I'm here?" asked Nathan.  
Lucas shrugged his shoulders as he sat down on the couch, next to Brooke. "Keith's not here. Besides, you're his nephew too."  
Brooke snuggled up next to Lucas, leaning her head on his chest.  
"If you guys want some privacy," Nathan said, "I can go."  
"No!" they both shouted simultaneously. "Stay." This no sex thing was getting harder and harder. Lucas was appreciative for Nathan's company. He wasn't sure how he and Brooke would have held out.  
Lucas flipped on the TV and put his feet up on the table. He put an arm around Brooke and silently the three of the watched the set, occasionally commenting on the program. But it was a slow TV night and Lucas was tired, perhaps from the antibiotics, which caused him to be sluggish, and he fell asleep.  
Suddenly, he was being shaken awake by a rough hand. "Care to explain?" asked Keith.  
Groggily, Lucas sat up, shrugging Brooke off his chest.  
"Mr. Scott," Brooke said jumping up.  
"Keith," cried Nathan.  
Keith took a double take. He hadn't noticed his other nephew sitting in the easy chair. "You're here too? I thought you were grounded."  
"I was. Am. I was just avoiding Dan tonight. I hope you don't mind, I invited Brooke along."  
Lucas looked imploring at his uncle.  
"You all better go home. It's late and you have school tomorrow." Keith ushered the teens to the front door and watched them climb into their cars. "I should never have covered for you," Keith said, turning to Lucas as soon as they were alone. "You have done nothing but misuse my trust since your mom left. It ends here Lucas. One more screw up and I tell Karen everything."  
"That's not fair," Lucas said. "Don't ruin her dream -"  
"I'm not the one ruining the dream, Lucas. That would be you. But obviously, you need her more than any of us realized. One more chance, kid and that's it." 


	9. Play Ball

Disclaimer:  The characters don't belong to me, but rather to the WB's One Tree Hill.

            Lunch in the cafeteria at Tree Hill High was a nightmare.  Lucas often stole off to a corner of the campus to eat in solitude or with Haley.  But today he was eating with the team.  They had called a meeting to find a way to convince Whitey to resume practice.  Jake and some of the other guys had grabbed two tables, which were now filled with the team, clad in their varsity jackets.

            Lucas preferred Chinese water torture to lunch with the team, but he wanted to start playing again. He missed the feeling of the ball in his hand and the spectators in the stand as he dribbled the ball down court.  He missed the roar of the crowd as he shot the ball in the air and swoosh it made the basket.  Everyone had been right, playing on the team wasn't the same playing in the park.  

            "So what's the plan?" asked Jake.  "If we're benched much longer, we're all going to lose out with the scouts.  I need a scholarship to go to college," he said.             Everyone nodded in agreement.

            "Can he even do this?" asked Anthony one of the second-string players.

            "He's Whitey," said another.  "He can do whatever he damn well pleases.  We've got to change his mind."

            "I'll do it," Nathan said quietly.

            Everyone stared at him.

            "He stopped practice because of me.  I've got to convince him that we're good to go.  Even if it means going on without me."

            "Nathan, we need you on the team."

            "I didn't say I was going, but if it comes to that -" Nathan looked around the table.  "I don't plan on quitting, but the team comes first."  He stopped his gaze at Lucas.  "You can win without me."

            "I'll come with you," said Lucas.  "I'll back you up.  Whitey will listen to us if we come together."

            There was a murmur of agreement among the team, but Nathan shook his head.  "This isn't about us and how we kill each other out on the court instead of working together.  It's about why I collapsed."  Nathan could not bring himself to admit to the entire team that he had taken drugs.

            "No, but if he sees that I of all people have your back, it might make a difference."

            The team continued to show their support for Lucas and Nathan didn't have much choice but to agree.  Silently, he was glad that Lucas would be there.  He wanted his brother's support when he faced Coach Durham.

            They went to Whitey's office as soon as the last class of the day was over.  Nathan stopped in front of the coach's door and took a deep breath before he knocked.  Whitey grunted something that sounded like enter and so Nathan slowly opened the door.

            "Coach," he said hesitantly.  "Can we come in?"

            "If you must," grumbled Whitey.  He looked up and took a double take when he saw Nathan and Lucas walking in together.

            "Coach," said Nathan.  "We want to play again.  It's time, Coach."

            "Scott, by now I would think you learned that no one tells me when it's time.  I say when it's time and if I say it's midnight when the sun is high in the sky it's midnight," growled the coach.

            "I'm sorry," said Nathan, lowering his head.  "I just meant I want to play."  He stole a quick glance at Lucas.  He had started out all wrong.

            "Coach," said Lucas.  "When you first asked me to join the team, I said playing in the park was good enough for me.  I was wrong.  The crowd has given me a strength I didn't know I have.  And I don't want to give it up just yet."

            "And I won't make the same stupid mistakes I made before," Nathan said resolutely.  He wanted to admit to Whitey that he took drugs, but he couldn't.  As long as it remained unspoken between them, Nathan could stay on the team.  If anyone gave voice to their suspicions, they would certainly suspend Nathan.

            Nathan put both his hands on Whitey's desk and leaned forward, some of his old macho-self returning.  "I had something to prove to my father.  I don't care about that anymore.  I just want to play the game."

            Whitey looked at Nathan long and hard.  He gazed at the boy straight in the eyes, daring him to avert his gaze, but Nathan held it steady.  Neither said a word.  Lucas watched the two, in their silent battle of wills, afraid to make a sound.

            Finally, Coach Durham blinked first.  "Tomorrow practice at three.  And tell the guys to leave their pumps and skirts at home."

            As soon as they exited the coach's office, Lucas and Nathan jumped in the air, slapping each other on the backs, shouting with glee.  The waiting team heard their reaction and a roar went through the room.  They were ready to play ball again.

            Lucas and Nathan got to the café later than usual.  Deb was waiting for them with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.  "Where were you?" she demanded.

            "Talking to Whitey," Nathan said excitedly.  "Mom we did it. Lucas and I did it.  We convinced Whitey to resume practice.  Tomorrow we're going to play ball!"  He did a little dance around his mother.  

            Deb shook her heard.  She had not seen her son this happy since he was a little boy at Christmas.  "How did you manage?"  Nathan told her, with Lucas throwing in a few comments to embellish the story.  "You said all that Nathan.  Is it true?" asked Deb.  "Do you really love the game?  I was never sure."

            "Yeah, Mom," he said.  "I really do like playing the game.  Listen, when we meet with Dad tonight, don't tell him."

            "I'll let you give him the good news," said Deb.

            "No," said Nathan shaking his head.      "Dad doesn't need to know for now.  He'll figure it out eventually, but for now, I just want to play without him on my back."

            Deb reached up and put a hand around Nathan's neck, forcing him to bend down and give her a quick hug.  "Absolutely," she said.  "We'll keep it quiet for as long as we can."

            Lucas barely had his apron tied around his waist when Brooke came in.  "You did it," she cried, throwing her hands around Lucas's neck.  "You got the coach to start playing again."

            "It was Nathan, not me," insisted Lucas, grabbing Brooke around the waist and spinning her around the room.  He couldn't contain his joy.  He longed to get out on the court and play some ball.  He was bound to be out of shape, being that he hadn't played in a week.  He hadn't worked out either.  Anymore time on the sidelines, and he would be getting soft.

            "Can we celebrate tonight?" asked Brooke.

            Luke stared at her with raised brows.  "Were you there last night?"

            "Did it get bad after we left?" she asked sheepishly.

            "Sort of.  He didn't ground me or anything, but he said if I screwed up again, he'd tell my mom everything.  And she'd probably come right home.  I don't want her to do that," he added.

            "One of the reasons I am so crazy about you, Lucas Scott," Brooke said, pulling Lucas down so their foreheads touched, "is that you are so loyal.  We'll celebrate this weekend, just like we planned.  You know, when you're free again."

            "Hey Scott," called Nathan.  "Go take care of your table already."

            "Like he's such a pro at this," mumbled Lucas, loud enough for Brooke to catch.  "He's broken more glasses this week than I have in six years!"  But Lucas walked over to the table to take down the order.

            Whitey worked them to the bone.  He had them running laps, doing lay-ups, practicing from the foul line and playing a hard game.  Practice lasted twice as long as usual, but no one complained.  They were all ready and thrilled to be back at it.

            "Scott," called the coach.  When both Lucas and Nathan turned, Whitey amended, "Lucas.  What's with you?  You're playing like a girl.  You've been winded since you ran the second lap."

            "Getting over the flu," Lucas said.  "Haven't been working out much."

            Whitey growled something, Lucas didn't catch, but the coach didn't say anything else.  Every so often, Lucas would catch Brooke's gaze as the cheerleading squad worked out beside them.  Lucas was running extra laps, when Brooke sprinted up beside him.

            "You turn me on when you're all hot and sweaty.  I'll meet me in the locker room when it's all clear," she said.

Lucas waited for the team to leave.  He told Nathan that he was staying to work out a little more, to see if he could regain some of his strength.   "Tell Deb, I'll do the dinner shift."

Nathan agreed to carry the message to Deb and Keith, knowing Lucas would be getting a very different type of workout than they imagined.  

The locker room was eerily quiet.  He jumped when Brooke gently tapped him on his shoulder.  "You scared me," he said.

"I have that effect on guys."

Lucas laughed.  "So what did you have planned?"

She ran her hands down his chest.  "Stretch your imagination," she said in a sultry voice.  She kissed him hard on the lips.  "So, what did you imagine?" asked Brooke.

"More of that," Lucas said in a husky voice.  He pushed her against a locker and kissed her, running his hands up and down her back, feeling her small round breasts push up against his chest.  They almost didn't hear the slow plodding steps of Whitey walking through the locker room.  Lucas held up a finger to his lips and they pressed themselves up against the lockers.  Luke had to put a gentle hand over Brooke's mouth to stifle her giggles.  

When they heard the door to the locker room slam shut, both Lucas and Brooke doubled over in a fit of giggles.  "Come on," said Brooke, pulling Lucas's arm.  

"Where are we going?" Lucas stumbled behind her.

"You'll see."

You'll see was Whitey's office.  The door was locked, but that didn't stop Brooke.  She slipped a credit card out of her purse and played with the lock.  "That doesn't really work," said Lucas.

"How do you know?  Have you ever tried?"

"I never tried breaking and entering."

"Well, I'm not virgin," she said.  There was a twinkle in his eyes.  She slid the card up and down one more time before the lock snapped open.  "We're in."

Lucas stepped into the office hesitantly.  "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"Lighten up Scott.  Whitey is gone for the night.  Let's just have some fun.  She sat down in the chair behind Whitey's desk and spun around.  "Come here sexy," Brooke called, wagging a finger at Lucas.

Shaking his head, Lucas went to her and knelt down before her.  She leaned forward kissing him again, putting her hands under his shirt and pulling it off over his head.  He tugged at her shirt, and Brooke shrugged off her cheerleading sweater, revealing a soft lavender bra.  

Lucas ran a finger over her bra, outlining the lace.  "You're so beautiful," he said.  He kissed her neck.  Brooke reached up and unclasped her bra, letting it fall.  Lucas stared.  "I repeat," he said, "you are so beautiful."  He ran a finger on her milky white skin.  

They continued to kiss, locking lips and tongues, running their hands all over each other.  Lucas was breathing hard as was Brooke.  They were so engrossed with each other; they didn't hear the footsteps approach behind them, until the lights flipped on and Whitey cleared his throat.

"Forgot something," Whitey explained.  "Didn't expect to find anyone in my office."

Lucas jumped up guiltily.  His face flushed a deep red. "Coach Durham."

"Mr. Scott.  Ms. Davis," he said nodding at Brooke.  Brooke was busily pulling on her sweater, trying to hide her naked chest from the coach.  "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I'm sorry Coach, we were just fooling around."

"Sit," the coach commanded, pointing at the two chairs at the other side of the desk.  "What on earth were you thinking?  I have to call your parents now."

"Coach, please, don't."

"Don't have a choice Scott.  Even if I overlook the breaking and entering, I can't ignore –" he waved a hand at the two disheveled teenagers.  "I can't ignore this."

Lucas slumped back in the chair.  "We were just making out."

"Yeah, but you're not supposed to do that in school.  I've got to inform your parents.  It's policy.   Now cough up your phone number."

"555-2090," said Brooke.  "But I doubt anyone's home or they care."

"My mom's away," sighed Lucas.  "Keith is staying with me."  Lucas gave him the number.


	10. The Ultimatum

Disclaimer:  The characters still don't belong to me, but to the WB11's One Tree Hill.

Brooke dropped Lucas off at the Café, but Deb sent him home.  "Keith called.  He said, you should go right there."  She had a worried expression, but didn't say anything.  On his way out of the Café Nathan caught him by the arm.  

"You okay," he asked.

Lucas shrugged.  "If you don't see me tomorrow," he joked, "you might want to alert the police.

When he got home, Lucas didn't go inside right away.  He sat on the porch, with his head in his hands, trying to process everything that had happened.  Whitey had called Brooke's parents first, but no one picked up.  The coach left a message.  Whitey didn't mess around.  "Mr. and Mrs. Davis," he said, "This is Coach Durham from Tree Hill High.  This evening, after practice Brooke and her friend Lucas Scott decided to break into my office for a quick make-out session."  He left his phone number where he could be reached and hung up.

Whitey caught Keith on the phone.  The message was just as clear, but a little less formal, since Whitey and Keith were on a friendly basis.  "Scott, I don't envy you," the coach said after hanging up the phone.  It sounds like Keith is ready to kick your ass."

"Throttle me is more like it.  I wish you hadn't called him."

"I wish I hadn't walked in on your porn session.  I don't know what the two of you were thinking.  Ever heard of a motel room?"  Whitey shook his head.  "Go," he commanded.  "Scott, I'll see you tomorrow at 7 a.m.  You're going to run laps from me to work off all that sexual energy you have pent up."

"I'll be there coach."

"And you Ms. Davis –" Whitey shook his head again.   "Oh just go home."

Lucas rubbed his head, recalling what Keith had said the night before.  Had he already called Karen?  Was his mom on the way home?  He didn't know if he could face her.  He didn't know who it would be easier to face, his Mom or Keith.

Lucas heard the front door creak open. "You've been sitting there long enough," Keith said.  "Get inside."

Lucas got up and followed Keith into the house.

"Sit," said Keith pointing to the couch.  

Lucas sat.  To his surprise, Keith didn't start yelling right away.  Instead his uncle paced.  Back and forth, back and forth. Every so often, he looked at Lucas and shook his head, but resumed the pacing.  Lucas noticed that there were bags under Keith's eyes and that his uncle looked tired and worn out.  He wondered if he had done that to the man.  

Lucas was tempted to say something and start defending himself, but every time he opened his mouth, he thought better of it.  Instead, he toyed with the frayed edge of his sweatshirt.  As he waited for his uncle to say something, he pulled off the gray sweatshirt, which advertised Keith's garage.  He placed the sweatshirt on his lap and played with the zipper.

"I don't know where to begin."

"Did you call Mom?" asked Lucas.

"Not yet."  Lucas looked physically relieved.  "But I will, as soon as I figure out what to tell her.  She's going to ask me if she needs to come home and I don't know what to say.  

"You're damn lucky that Whitey didn't call the police. He could have and then you'd be in a mess of legal trouble."

"We broke in to kiss, not to steal anything!  It was a lark.  A stupid stunt by a couple of horny teenagers."

"That's you're excuse?"

"I don't have an excuse."  Lucas's voice rose to an octave.  "It's a fact.  I did what I did.  I can't explain it and I can't justify it."

Keith sat down on the coffee table, knee to knee with Lucas.  "I want to know what's bothering you?"  His voice was gentle.  "Does this have to do with your mom being gone?  I know you wanted this for her, but maybe missing her was more than you realized."

"Nothing is bothering me."

"Is it being around Dan and Nathan and Deb?  Is it getting to you?  Maybe you want to talk to someone, like a shrink."

"I don't need a shrink, Keith."

"So why have you been acting out like this?"

Lucas leaned back on the couch.  He had expected yelling a lot of yelling and shouting, but he had not expected this.  He just wanted to have fun.  What was wrong with that?  Until he had joined the basketball team, he had done everything he was told to do.  He listened to instructions, followed orders, and behaved in school.  He never partied hard, didn't drink, and didn't use drugs.  But he never let his guard down, never let loose and that was what he was doing now.

"I'm just having fun."

"Fun is breaking the rules."

"Isn't that how you had fun as a kid."

Keith shook his head.  "Sometimes.  But it wasn't like this.  It wasn't a downward spiral."

"Well this isn't some sort of break down.  I'm just catching up with my teammates."

Keith closed his eyes.  He rued the day when he went to Whitey and suggested he put Lucas on the team.  He knew this was his fault.  He was tempted to ask Whitey to throw Lucas off, or to make Lucas quit the team, but at this point, it would make matters worse.  Lucas needed the team as much as the team needed him.

"So am I grounded now?"

"That works so well.  I put you on restriction and you practically had a party here every night.  Don't give me that look, Lucas.  I'm not stupid.  I saw the empty bottle of wine.  I assume you weren't drinking alone.  It wreaked of Brooke to me, which was confirmed last night."

Keith rubbed his eyes.  "Lucas, I want you to stop seeing her."

"What?"

"You heard me.  This all started with her.  You went out with her and you got drunk and a tattoo.  You snuck her into the house every night.  Cut class so you can dump another girl to be with her.  You were with her tonight when this all happened.  It was because of her you had Nathan lie to Deb and me.  I wouldn't be surprise if breaking into Whitey's office was her idea."

"I'm not going to stop seeing Brooke.  I really like Brooke."

"It's your choice man.  If you insist on seeing her, I call your mom."

"That's not fair!"

"It's an ultimatum," shouted Keith.  "As of now, Brooke Davis is off limits.  Don't test me on this.  I won't be pushed anymore."

Lucas jumped up from the couch.  "You can't tell me what to do."

Keith didn't say anything.

"You can't tell me who to be friends with." Throwing his sweatshirt down, Lucas headed for the front door, but Keith blocked his way.

"You're not going anywhere," said Keith.  

"You're not my mother.  You're not my father.  You can't tell me what to do."

"Lucas, don't do this.  Just go to your room and cool off." Luke tried to move around Keith, but Keith was to quick for him.  "Go to your room, Lucas.  You're not leaving this house."  

Lucas spun on his heals and stalked off to his room, slamming the door shut so hard the house shook.


	11. The Cafe

Disclaimer:  The characters don't belong to me, but to the WB's One Tree Hill.

Thanks for all the great reviews!  I'm working on the formatting problem!

            By the time Whitey called it quits for practice Lucas was bent over, holding his knees, and panting.  "You okay?" Nathan asked, patting Lucas on the back.

            Lucas looked up at Nathan and just gave him a look.  

            "Okay.  Dumb question.  Whitey has been riding you pretty hard at practice these past few days."

            Lucas nodded, breathlessly.

            "What's up with that?"

            Lucas stood, wiped the sweat running down his face with his jersey, and said, "Brooke and I broke into his office a few nights ago and he caught us fooling around."

            "You what?"  Nathan laughed.  "You nuts, man?"

            Lucas nodded.

            "I hope it was worth it."

            Lucas thought for a moment, and then shrugged.  "It was Brooke man, what do you think."  

            As they headed off to the locker room, Lucas recalled what happened the day after the incident.  "Lucas!" Whitey had barked.  "In my office now."

            Lucas stood awkwardly before Whitey's desk, scratching his arm, which was itchy with perspiration.  He tried to hide how heavily he was breathing, but he knew Whitey could see it.

            "You're winded," said the coach.

            "It was a tough workout."

            "Well, by the time I get through with you, a workout like this will be like taking a walk.  Tomorrow seven a.m."

            "Coach," Lucas started to protest.

            "Don't 'Coach' me.  I can still take this to the administration if I so choose.  I just don't want to lose another great player.  So you have a choice.  You can face my firing squad or the administration's.  And let me remind you, the principal will probably throw you out of school."

            Another choice, thought Lucas.  He wasn't liking the choices he was faced with these days, but it beat Keith's ultimatum.  He'd take Whitey's punishment and it would probably make a better player out of him.  But Keith's ultimatum wasn't a choice.  Either way he was damning himself and Keith knew it.

             "How long am I going to do this for?"

            "Two weeks minimum.  Then we'll see if you've repented enough."

            "Yes sir," Lucas said, trying to contain his sarcasm.  He barely suppressed a salute.  "Seven a.m. it is."  

            Whitey grunted something and dismissed Lucas with a wave of his hand.  

            "Need a ride?" Nathan asked as Lucas stepped into the shower.  "I can wait if you hurry."

            Lucas nodded gratefully.  He didn't want to be too late to the café.  For now, he and Keith had some sort of truce and that meant he wouldn't call Karen and spill all.  He hadn't made a conscious choice not to see Brooke.  She hadn't been in school, so he couldn't share what happened or what he was planning to do.  Not that he could tell her, because he didn't know what to do.   He wanted to keep seeing Brooke.  He also wanted his mom to stay in Italy and enjoy her cooking school.  It seemed that Keith was the one who said he couldn't have it all.

            As the boys separated, each letting the spray of water hit their backs, similar thoughts ran through their minds.  They both wondered when they had reached a point where they could talk casually, without snarling at each other.  Lucas was surprised at himself.  He wasn't sure why he had confided in Nathan, but it had felt okay.  It felt right somehow.

            "So you and Brooke," Nathan said with a smirk once they were in the car.

            Lucas leaned back on the soft leather seat.  "Yeah.  Me and Brooke.  Who would have thunk it."

            "I actually thought it would be you and Peyton."  Lucas stole a sideways glance at Nathan.  "I'm over her," insisted Nathan, catching his brother's look.  "We once had a thing, but it didn't work out.  I can't say we're friends, but we don't hate each other.  We have a truce.  Which is nice, because it's not like I treated her very well."

            "You better not treat Haley, like you did Peyton."

            "I won't promised," Nathan.  "Haley changed me.  I swear it."

            As soon as they were in the café each of them grabbed an apron and a rag and started to clear the table.  The after school crowd was already trickling in and it would only get busier once all the after school activities let out and the early dinner crowd came in.

            As usual, Nathan was sticking close to Haley.  The two of them stole moments with each other every minute they could.  Lucas often walked into the kitchen or some other part of the café and found them kissing.  He was growing used to it.  It helped that he and Nathan were getting along.  And Haley seemed happy, so Lucas wasn't about to complain, even though he wanted to throw cautionary advice at Haley every time he saw them together.  It seemed like Nathan and Haley were moving very quickly.

            But it was Lucas who was catching a few minutes on the sly with Haley when Dan walked into the restaurant.  "Nathan," he proclaimed loudly.  "Hey Nathan, get your butt over here."

            "Dad, what are you doing here?" Nathan said in a hushed voice, walking over to the elder Scott.

            "I came to see you."  The steely edge in Dan's voice, made it obvious that he wasn't there for father-son catch-up time.  "When were you going to tell me that Whitey had started practice again?  Huh?" he asked, pulling Nathan roughly by the arm.  "Is there a reason you were keeping that news from me."

            The cacophony of voices stopped.  All eyes turned to stare at Nathan and Dan. 

            "It's not like –" Nathan started to say.  

But Dan just shook him again and started a tirade about how if Nathan wanted to be good enough for a basketball scholarship he would have to work harder and he would need Dan for that.

"How dare you keep such important news from me!  I looked like a fool in front of Tim's father as he told me how great it was that the team got together and convinced Whitey to start the season again."

Lucas took in the scene and realized that Nathan looked like he was going to pee in his pants.  He had never thought Nathan was scared of anything-let alone Dan.  But suddenly it seemed like his little brother need help.

"Haley, go call Deb.  She'll stop this."

"Deb went to the bank.  She won't be back for a while," said Haley in a hushed voice.

Lucas looked at Nathan again.  "We've got to do something."

"I know.  But what?" asked Haley.

"Call Keith," said Lucas.  Lucas didn't think about what he did next. Had he thought about it for even a split second, he would never have done what he did.  Before he knew it, he was standing between Dan and Nathan.

"Leave," insisted Lucas.

Dan didn't even look at him, but just continued to yell at Nathan and shake him, rattling the boy's teeth.  

So Lucas repeated himself, more forcefully.  This time Dan took notice.  He looked at Lucas like he was a speck of dirt on his pristinely polished shoes.  A stubborn spot that just wouldn't come off.  

"Get out of my way kid."

"No," said Lucas, mustering all of his courage.  He wouldn't be able to take Dan on his own. The man could easily overpower him.  Perhaps with Nathan's aid he could, but Nathan was too dazed to be of any help.  "You're in my mother's restaurant.  She wouldn't want you here.  Especially, not like this.  Keith will be here any minute," Lucas added, hoping Haley was able to get in touch with him.  The garage was just around the corner, so it wouldn't take long once she got through to him.  "So just leave before you cause anymore of a scene."

The mention of Keith's name seemed to unnerve Dan.  Lucas wasn't sure why.  Keith was the older brother, but Dan was the bigger of the two.  If it came down to a brawl, Keith could hold his own, but Dan would probably win.   Lucas didn't have time to dwell on it, because Keith did walk in the door at that moment.

Dan hesitated for a moment, but let go of Nathan and walked out without a word.  Both boys let out their breath, neither was aware of holding it in.  Keith walked over to both and said, "you okay?"

Lucas nodded and so did Nathan, shakily.

"Thanks man," said Nathan, turning to Lucas.  "You were – You were great."

Keith rubbed the back of Lucas's neck and said, "I'm proud of you.  You handled that well."

Lucas beamed with pleasure.  Keith hadn't praised Lucas for anything in the past few weeks. It warmed Lucas to hear the kind words from his uncle. It seemed to melt some of the tension between them.

"Sit down and take a break," said Haley, motioning them to an empty booth.  

Lucas noticed that the noise level in the restaurant was slowly getting back to normal.  But he was shaking.  He took the seat that Haley pointed to, grabbing his hand to keep it steady.  He had often imagined standing up to Dan, but he never thought it would be this way.  He never realized that like Nathan he was scared of the man.

The look Dan had given him, making him seem no better than dog crap stuck on someone's shoe, and the way he had called Lucas kid, not acknowledging his name, made Lucas realized how indifferent Dan was to him.  But deep down, Lucas hoped that Dan secretly regretted the choice he made and just didn't know how to rectify what was done.  Today proved that was nowhere close to the truth.  Dan never thought much about Lucas Scott, the son he had abandoned.

"You okay?" Keith asked.  "You look white.  Have you been taking your antibiotics? Maybe –"

"It's okay Grandma," Lucas said.  "I'm taking all my medicine.  I'm just shaken up from what happened.  It wasn't pretty."

"Tell me what happened," insisted Keith.

Together, Nathan and Lucas told him the story.  It wasn't much of a story, Lucas realized.  But at the time it had been frightening.  He had never realized what Dan was capable of.  Nathan had hinted at it, but Lucas never really thought Dan was abusive, but now he realized how wrong he was.

"I'll stay here until Deb comes back," Keith said.  "The two of you better get back to work.  Haley looks overwhelmed."

They did as they were told, both glad to escape into the mundane work that was expected of them.  For Nathan, simply trying to keep up with the orders he was taking and handing them out to the right people, blocked out the events that had taken place moments before.  For Lucas, it gave him a chance to dwell on Keith's praise and the ease with which he had been able to talk to his uncle moments earlier.  It also gave him a chance to dwell on Dan.


	12. The Decision

Disclaimer:  The characters don't belong to me, but to the WB's One Tree Hill.

            Lucas was alone in the house while Keith went to lock up the garage.  "I can go with you," offered Lucas not wanting to be alone, but Keith had refused.  

            "You still look shaky from this afternoon.  I want you to rest in case it's a relapse.  I told your mother you were on the mend.  Don't make a liar out of me."

            Lucas almost laughed at the irony, since they both knew they were bending the truth to Karen.  Instead, Lucas smiled and said, "Yes Grandma. I'll rest.  I'll take it easy tonight."

            "Call me Grandma again and I'm going to take you over my knee Lucas.  You're not too old."  This time Lucas did laugh.  It was almost like having the old Keith back, scolding him, but in an almost flip tone.  "I'll be back in a half hour."  

            Lucas went to the phone as soon as Keith was gone.  Brooke had been out of school for three days and he was starting to worry.  He didn't know how her parents had reacted to Whitey's message and hoped her prolonged absence from school had nothing to do with it.  He couldn't call Brooke with Keith around.  He wouldn't understand and would assume he was trying to see Brooke.  Of course, Lucas still hadn't decided for sure what he wanted to do.

            But before he could pick up the phone it rang. 

            "Hello," said Lucas.  There was a crackle over the line and then from a distance he heard his mother's voice.  "Mom?" he half-shouted.

            "Lucas, it's so good to hear your voice.  It's been a while.  How are you feeling?  Did you kick that flu yet?"

            "I'm fine Mom.  Keith has been taking good care of me.  Stuffing me with lots of liquids and good healthy food.  How are you?  How's the cooking school?"

            "Amazing," said Karen.  "I've learned so much.  I didn't think I'd be able to take any of it back to my plain old restaurant, but I really think I can.  But I miss you like crazy Lucas."

            "I miss you too Mom."  Lucas twirled the phone chord around his fingers until they turned white.  Hearing his mother's voice, he was about to spill all.  He could tell her about everything and she would give him advice on how to handle Keith.  If it came from him, maybe she wouldn't feel compelled to come home.  But Lucas couldn't bring himself to do it.  Instead he filled her in on some of the mundane.  Regular customers who asked about her, what he was learning in school, and how the restaurant was fairing without her.

            "Lucas, I love you," his mother said.

            "I love you too Mom."

            "Are you sure everything is okay?  Whenever I talk to you or Keith you both sound distant and troubled."

            "It's the connection Mom.  I swear."

            He hung up and hesitated before picking the phone up again to call Brooke.  He picked up the receiver, started to dial, and then hung up again. Lucas did this three times over before he finally dialed all seven digits.

            "Brooke?"

            "Hey Lucas," came Brooke's raspy voice.  She sounded hoarse and stuffed up.

            "So you aren't playing hooky."

            "No. I'm genuinely sick. I guess sitting in the office with my shirt off didn't help any.  It's just a lucky coincidence."

            "And your parents, how did they react to Whitey's call?"

            "Daddy cut all my credit cards.  You know it was the first time he's talked to me in weeks.  I mean more than a good morning or pass the milk.  It was refreshing, even if he was yelling at me."

            Lucas laughed lightly, but he felt bad for Brooke.  He dreaded it any time his mom scolded him and hated that lately Keith was always yelling at him.  He couldn't imagine being glad for that attention.  "So they just cut off your credit cards."

            "Yeah.  What about your uncle, what did he do?"

            "I'd rather not get into it.  It won't help you get better.  Will you be back in school soon?"  He didn't want to tell her that his uncle had forbidden him to see her.  Brooke wouldn't see it as a dilemma.  She would see it as a challenge.  How many ways could they keep seeing each other without Keith finding out?  In truth, that's what he wanted to do, but he just wasn't sure yet he was willing to risk it. Because if he had learned anything lately it was that he was bound to get caught.

            "I'm milking it.  Mom feels bad that Daddy yelled at me, so she's letting get away with missing all this school."

            "Aren't you bored?" asked Lucas, recalling his one day off from school.  

            "I would be less bored if you came to visit.  But I figured your uncle grounded you for life."

            "Close to it."  He heard the car coming up the drive.  "I better go.  Keith's coming up the drive."

            "No phone privileges?  Man he's really putting you in prison.  I'll have to hurry back to school and to make everything better."

            They said good-by and Lucas hung up just as Keith walked in the door.

            "Who was on the phone?"

            "Mom," Lucas said stretching the truth.  "She called to check up on me."

            "How'd she sound?"

            "Happy."

            "Let's keep it that way."

            "Yeah.  Let's do that."  Lucas walked off.

            "Hey, Lucas.  I'm sorry.  That came out wrong."  Keith called out after him.  Lucas stopped in his tracks.  "We were in a good spot today."

            "I guess he'll do that for us."

            Keith chuckled.  "I guess he has some use.  You were really there for Nathan today."

            "He was going to hurt him."  Lucas leaned against the wall in the foyer.  "I never realized – Nathan once said something to me, about how I was lucky not to have been raised by him.  But I didn't believe him."

            "Do you believe him now?"

            Luke nodded.  "I'm starting to.  I still wonder what it would have been like.  Would it have been the same?"  Would he look at me with the same revulsion he did today, thought Lucas  "I just don't get it Keith.  Why does he hate me?"

            Keith crossed the room and put a hand on Lucas's back.  He was starting to have an inkling about what was going on in his nephews mind.  Were all these questions about Dan starting to catch up with Lucas?  Was that why he was acting out?  Was Brooke an excuse?  The bad influence, the easy way to wipe the thoughts of Dan Scott, Lucas's father from the boy's mind?

            He pulled Lucas into a hug.  "Dan doesn't hate you," Keith insisted.  "That's so far from the truth."  Keith took a deep breath, because for the first time he could remember he was lying to his nephew.  Dan was just plain indifferent to his first-born son, but Keith sometimes wondered if Dan hated the sight of Lucas.  It had seemed plain on his face that afternoon.

            "Dan's to self-centered and too much of a narcissist to hate anyone."

            "But he doesn't think about me.  Doesn't care a lick about me."

            "I couldn't say for certain.  He doesn't confide in me.  I do believe you're right. I wish I could say he does care, but it's not the case.  When he walked away from your mother, he walked away from you and I don't believe he's had any regrets."

            Lucas nodded soberly.  He turned and headed back to his room.

            "Luke," Keith called.  Lucas turned.  "Don't let Dan ruin your life.  If you don't matter to him, then he shouldn't matter to you.  And if you want to talk, I'm always here."

            Lucas went back to his room and for the first time ever he felt that his uncle was far from the answers.  Talking to Keith had made it worse.  Flopping down on his bed, Lucas pulled out a tattered copy of _Catcher in the Rye_, his favorite novel and started to read it again.

*******

            Brooke was back in school the next day.  Her red, dripping nose and the wad of tissues she held in her hands, ruined her perfectly coifed look.  "I feel so icky," she complained to Tina, one of her fellow cheerleaders.  Since Lucas had chosen Brooke, she and Peyton were not exactly on speaking terms anymore and Brooke missed her best friend.

            She noisily blew her noise, eliciting strange looks from her fellow classmates.  "I have a cold," she yelled at them.  "Never saw anyone with a cold before?"  She held her head in her hands and said, "I should have stayed home again."

            "Why didn't you?" Tina asked.

            "I missed Lucas."

            "He didn't visit you while you were sick?"

            Brooke shook her head.  "He's like grounded forever."  With a giggle, she filled Tina in on their little escapade.  Both girls were holding onto each other, laughing hysterically when they bumped into Lucas.

            "Brooke!" he said in surprise.  "You made it."

            "That I did, Mr. Scott."

            "You look – awful."

            "Thanks!"  She slapped his arm.  "I feel awful.  No thanks to you."

            "I'm sorry," he said, wrapping his arms around her.  "I didn't mean to make it worse."

            "That's what I've been missing the past few days."

            "What do you have next period?" Lucas asked.  Seeing Brooke made him resolute.  He was going to tell her what Keith had commanded and they would figure something out together.

            "Math.  I'm so not in the mood."

            "Good.  Let's go.  Bye Tina!"  

He pulled Brooke to the parking lot and headed for her white Volkswagen Beetle.  "Let's talk in here," he said.  He waited for Brooke to take out the keys and unlock the car.  It only took a few moments for them to comfortably settle in the backseat.   They snuggled close to each other, Lucas holding Brooke in his arm, stroking her long brown hair.

"It's so soft," he whispered into the top of her head.  "It smells nice.  What shampoo do you use?"

"Pantene," she said.  "You didn't bring me here to talk about Shampoo.  Did you?"

Lucas shook his head.  "Last night, when I called, I didn't tell you everything."

"Oh," said Brooke.  "You decided you want to be with Peyton?"

"Peyton?  No.  I want to be with you.  That's the problem.  My uncle got so pissed after Whitey called.  He decided that all the trouble I've been in started when I began seeing you.  It's not true," he quickly added.  "But well he gave me a choice."  He quickly described what went down that night.  Brooke clucked sympathetically.  

"So it's either me or your mom."  She sighed.  "I know you Lucas Scott.  You're going to choose your mom.  I don't blame you.  That's one of the reasons I like being with you.  That and you're really hot."  She stroked his chest.  "It's fine."

"I didn't think that's what you would say.  I'm surprised Brooke.  I expected you to see this as a challenge.  I don't want to make a choice and I don't think I should have to.  I want to keep seeing you.  Even if Keith is against it."

"That is so romantic.  Like Romeo and Juliet.  We always have school.  He can't stop us from seeing each other at school and practice.  And for now we'll take it easy.  But we'll figure it out as we go along.  We'll find someone to cover for us."

"Maybe Nathan."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I do think."

He hugged Brooke, keeping her tight in his arms until the next period started and they headed back to class.


	13. The double Date

Usual disclaimers apply.

Sorry for the delay.  Life's been busy and there has been no time to write.  .Martina, thanks for the apology. I really was not offended, but wanted to fix the problem.  (I'm going to try and reload the chapter in another format and see if that works.  It started again at the end of Chapter 12.)  The important thing is that you read the story and enjoy!

            Lucas sat in the back of the library, during fifth period study hall.  He had a copy of Ayn Rand's _The Fountainhead_, the book Jake had loaned him when he first joined the team.  Jake had been right, the book was good and Lucas was so engrossed he didn't hear Brooke come up to him and ask, "Room for one more?"  

She had to nudge his leg with her foot, before he looked up and said, "Hhmmm – oh Brooke!  Sure sit down."  

He moved over, making room on the cozy sofa. Brooke sat down, snuggling close to Lucas.  He pulled her into the crook of her arm and buried his chin in the top of her head.  "How's it going?"

"I'm bored to tears.  But I have a killer chem. exam next period."

"So you better study."

She sighed.  "I should.  What are you doing?"

"Reading a book a friend loaned me."

"Any good?" asked Brooke, opening up her textbook and taking out a pencil.

"Yes.  Don't worry, I won't ask you to read it."

Brooke laughed, loudly, catching a glare from the librarian.  Covering her mouth, to stifle the laughter, she said, "I better go study."  She took out her notebook and concentrated on the formulas she needed to memorize for the test, while absently chewing on the eraser.  It was hard to concentrate, because Lucas kept running his hands through her hair, murmuring how soft and shiny it was.

"Hey, Scott," said Brooke suddenly.   "Do you want to go out tonight?  Do something?  I always need to let loose after a chemistry test."

Lucas hesitated.  "I do.  But my uncle."

"Oh," she said sounding disappointed.  "I forgot."

"We'll figure out something," Lucas said quickly.  "Maybe Nathan will cover for me."

It was then that Lucas noticed Nathan sitting a few feet from them.  He ripped a blank sheet of paper from Brooke's notebook, crumpled it up, took aim, and then threw it, hitting his brother's head.

Nathan whipped around to see where the paper came from and noticed Lucas waving his arms, beckoning him to come over.  He picked up the paper and brought it over to Lucas.  

"Was that you?" asked Nathan, holding up the paper.  

Lucas shrugged.  "Didn't know how else to get your attention," he whispered, "without catching the wrath of the library staff."

"Well, you got my attention.  What's up?"  Nathan sat down on the carpeted floor next to Lucas and Brooke.

"Brooke and I were thinking of going out tonight," Lucas said slowly.  "We – we were hoping you …. might… cover for us."

At first, Nathan said nothing.  "Cover.  How?"

"Tell Keith we're out together."  

"Won't work," Nathan said simply.  "He's bound to find out that I wasn't out from my mom.  They've gotten really close lately."  They all sat silently for a moment, thinking it over.  "What if I actually went along?  I'd have to convince my mom… but maybe we could double date?  Haley and I and you and Brooke."

Lucas looked at Brooke and raised his brows.  She shrugged.  "Okay," said Lucas.  "We'll double."

"I'll just have to convince my mother to take me off this short lease of hers."

"And I'll have to have Keith take me off of his."

            Nathan and Luke arrived at the café together.  "Keith here?" asked Lucas.

 "No," Deb said wiping her hands off on a towel.  "He's at the garage.  You can go there if you need him."

"Thanks," said Lucas.  He dropped his books on the counter and ran out the door.

"He's in a hurry," Deb said laughing.

Nathan smiled.  "Mom, do you think it's okay if Lucas and I went out tonight?"

She shook her head.  "You're still grounded."  She turned and went into the kitchen.

"Mom, please," begged Nathan and followed her into the kitchen.  By the time he came out, Lucas was back from the garage.

"Is it a go?" asked Lucas.

Nathan nodded.  "It's a go."

            They all went together in Nathan's car.  Haley rode up front with Nathan while Lucas and Brooke snuggled together in the back seat.  "Where to?"

            "There's a Rave at the warehouse on the west end?" suggested Lucas.

            "We'll never get out of there sober," said Brooke.  "Your uncle will know for sure you were out with me."

            Nathan, Haley, and Lucas all turned to stare at Brooke.  "You're turning down booz?" Nathan asked.

            "Booz doesn't mix with my good karma.  I don't want to have to make amends constantly for the things I do under the influence."

            They all laughed.

            "So where to?" asked Lucas.

            "What about O'leary's? suggested Brooke.

            "Don't you have to be twenty-one to get in there?"

            "No," said Brooke.  "They allow teens in there.  As long as we don't drink."  She sighed.  "I miss alcohol."

            O'leary's was packed with wall-to-wall people.  Music bounced off the walls, pulsing so loud that Lucas could feel his heart pumping to the music.  He grabbed Brooke's wrist and rushed her to the dance floor.  The couple danced to the beat, hands in the air, grinding pelvis to pelvis.  They continued straight for three songs, before trying to locate Nathan and Haley.

            Sweat glistened on Lucas's brow and Brooke was panting.  "You're quite the dancer, Scott."  

            "Why thank you," said Nathan.

            "Wrong Scott.  You definitely were not the one out there on the dance floor."

            "You better have not been," said Haley.  "When you dance, I want you all to myself."  Haley scooted over and nuzzled closely under Nathan's arm.  He reached down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

            "Oh get a room!" cried Lucas.

            "You should talk," bantered Nathan.

            Their drinks arrived, cokes for the guys and diet sodas for the girls.  "So Lucas," Haley said taking a sip, "Keith didn't give you a hard time?"

            He shook his head.  "I wasn't grounded anymore.  Besides, he liked the idea of Nathan and I getting to know each other.  What about you?" Lucas asked, hugging Brooke closer to him.  "What did you have to promise to gain your freedom?  Your first born?"

            "No, just that I pee in a cup."

            Haley and Lucas grew quiet, but Brooke said, "huh?  What does that mean?"

            "It means a drug test," Lucas said quietly.  "She's really going to do that?"

            "She's been doing it once a week since I ran from the hospital."  Nathan toyed with his straw.  

            "A drug test," cried Brooke.  "You've got to be kidding.

            "And a breathalyzer."

            "You've got to be kidding!"

            "No drinking or drugs," Nathan said shrugging.  "I'm now St. Nathan.  Don't look so shocked," he said to everyone at the table.  "It's not uncommon.  I did some searching on the Net.  Lots of parents don't trust their kids and want to make sure they're clean.  It's not like I didn't earn this and frankly, if this how I can get out of the house, I'll do it gladly."

            "So you're not pissed?" asked Brooke.

            Nathan caught Haley's look.  "I was," he said throwing up his hands.  "I was royally pissed, but I earned the distrust.  We all know I was taking drugs.  That's why I collapsed.  Let's change the subject.  What did you have to promise?" he asked Lucas.

            "No drinking.  No drugs.  Home by midnight.  I don't think he thought about the drug test though, or I might be peeing in a cup too."

            "You guys are such a pair," said Haley.  "I'm actually starting to believe that you're brothers."

            "Well, we have a lot more than that in common."  Lucas stood up and grabbed Brooke's wrist, dragging her into an upright position.  "Let's dance."

            The music was too loud to talk on the dance floor, but Lucas and Brooke had no trouble communicating.  His hands wouldn't stop searching for skin.  Lucas's hands were around her waist, up her shirt, under the strap of her bra.  Brooke shook her head, and gently moved Lucas's hands back to her waist, and the couple swayed to the beat of the music.  It was crowded and it was difficult not to bump into other couples.  They even knocked into Haley and Nathan once, while trying to make their way back to the table.

            "I'm sorry," said Lucas when they got off the dance floor.  The music was still loud, but at least they could hear each other if they shouted loudly enough.  "I didn't mean to do anything –"

            Brooke cut him off, by putting her fingers to her lips.  "It's okay. I just like to do these things with you in private she said."

            "Sorry," Lucas repeated.  "I didn't realize."  

            She pulled him into a dark corner and into a deep long kiss.  "Lucas," she said when coming up for a breath.  "When are you getting that second test, because I don't know how long I can hold out?"

            "Neither do I," he said, returning her kisses.

            They continued kissing long and deep until Lucas's cell phone rang.  Lucas pulled away and closed his eyes, touching foreheads with Brooke.  After a moment, he pulled out his phone and he saw it was Nathan trying to reach him.

            "Didn't know where you went," Nathan apologized.  "But it's getting near the witching hour and we've got to get going."

            "We'll meet you in the parking lot," Lucas assured him.

            "I guess we should be grateful for nosy friends and family," Lucas told Brooke as he linked his hands with hers.  "Because otherwise we might do something really stupid."

            Lucas arrived home at five minutes to twelve.  Keith was sitting by the kitchen table, an open bottle of beer between his hands.  "I'm on time," Lucas said, swinging his long legs over a chair.  "I'm sober." He breathed hard in Keith's face. "No new tattoos," he said holding up his arms and lifting his shirtsleeves.

            Keith didn't smile.

             "I was just kidding."

            "I know.  I know.  How was your night out with Nathan?  Where'd you go?"

            "O'leary's.  It was nice.  Nathan's a good guy."

            "It's nice," said Keith, "That the two of you have found some common ground."

            Lucas shrugged.  "He's not the same without Dan around."

            "So what you do?"

            "Listened to the music.  Found some girls to dance with.  Had cokes.  Nothing special.  Just hung out."

            "Good.  Good," said Keith nodding.  

            "Hey Keith," Lucas said after a brief silence.  "Do you think that tomorrow I could go back to working at the garage?  I miss… the work."  Lucas didn't know how to explain that he missed spending time with Keith when they weren't at each other's throat.  

            "Deb needs you. I know you thought I was trying to punish you, but she was drowning and she needed the extra hands to hold the place together.  It was for your mom, Lucas."

            "You wanted someone to keep an eye on me," Lucas insisted.

            "Yes.  But I could have done that at the garage."

            "Fine, but by now Deb has a handle on things and she has Nathan there to slave and Haley works there day and night."

            "It's okay.  I'll ask Deb if she can spare the help. If she can, you'll be back at the garage after practice."

            Lucas smiled.  Perhaps, they'd get back to where they had once been.

            "It's late," Keith said.  "You should get to bed."

            "Yes Gra---"

            "You're not too old," reminded Keith.


	14. Night Out

Usual Disclaimers apply

            Lucas was leaning against the silver Chevy Lumina, while Keith was peering into the engine with a flashlight, looking for the screw he dropped inside.  "Luke," he commanded.  "Hand me the magnet.  I'll never find it otherwise."  Lucas handed his uncle the heavy-duty magnet they used just for this purpose.  

            "What's the car in for?" asked Lucas.

            "Got it!" exclaimed Keith.  He picked up his head and smiled triumphantly at Lucas.  "It just needed an oil change and some new breaks."  He wiped his greasy hands on an equally greasy rag and walked over to the next car.  "How was school today?"  

            "Fine.  Where do you want me to start today?"

            "You're quite descriptive.  Remind your English teacher not to give you that as an essay topic."

            "It's school, man.  What do you want me to say?  Someone barfed in the cafeteria.  Susan Andrews is pregnant.  Ms. Lewis, the librarian, has the hots for a senior – I think he's on the debate team.  And Whitey busted my hump at practice today."

            Keith chuckled.  "All that happened today?"

            "Most of it."

            "What about learning?  Is there any learning going on in that school of yours?"

            "Somewhere between all the gossip," Lucas assured Keith.

            Keith slapped Lucas on the shoulder and steered him to the back of the garage.  "I need you on the register today.  Leon is out sick."

            "Whatever you need," said Lucas.  He stepped behind the counter and opened up his history textbook.  There was another exam coming up, this one counted for thirty percent of his grade, almost as much as the final.  Considering his less that stellar performance on the last test, Lucas really needed to do well on this test.

            Throughout the afternoon, Lucas found parts for Keith and the other mechanic, tallied up bills, and took money for their services, while reviewing for the history test.  He hardly noticed the sun setting or that the traffic in the garage was slowing down until Keith came up to him and asked "had enough?"

            Lucas looked up and rubbed his eyes.  "If I have to read about one more war, I think I'll go start one myself."

            Keith slammed the textbook shut.  "Then I guess you better stop studying.   What do you want for dinner?  I was going to order in and catch up on some billing."

            "What?" asked Lucas.  "You're not going to cook for us?"

            "And burn the house down again?  Your mom would like to return to some sort of house.  If not a kitchen.  So what will it be pizza or something from the café?"

            "I could go for a steak sandwich."

            A half hour later Nathan tentatively stepped into the garage holding a large brown bag, folded over on the top and grease stains on the bottom.  "Delivery," he said, peeking into the garage.  "Anyone going to claim it?"

            "Food!" shouted Keith, falling to his knees before Nathan.  "He brings food!  Hurry.  Come in.  Enter.  Please." 

            "If that's all I needed for you undying devotion, I would have brought you food years ago."

            "Well the timing had to be right."  Keith stood up, dusted off his knees, and took the bag from Nathan.  "Care to join us?" he asked.

            "Um…" Nathan stole a glance at Lucas.  "Sure.  But can you please call my mom and tell her I'm staying.  She'll take it better from you."

            Keith's brows creased.  "What do you mean?"

            "It means," said Nathan, shoving his fists deep into his varsity jacket, "That I've been on thin ice for the past few weeks, and she'll accept it better coming from you, my dependable uncle."  

            "Okay.  Okay.  I'll go make the call."  

            Keith walked to his office and Nathan sauntered up to Lucas at his counter.   "I hope it's okay that I stay."

            "Sure it's okay.  Want to help me study for my history exam?"

            "Not really.  You don't want my help in history, believe me."      

            "Your mom said okay," Keith said, stepping out of his office.  "And in what way are you covering for my young charge?"

            "Oh, you know, with Whitey."  Nathan let the lie roll off his tongue.  "He's always slinking in late, needs extra time to change in his gear.  That type of stuff."

            "So you're covering for each other now?" Keith asked with a raised brow.

            "When we need to," said Lucas.  He took out a sandwich, unwrapped it and handed it to Keith. "This is yours."

            Keith inhaled deeply.  "Heaven.  What did you order, Lucas?"

            "Philly cheese steak. Nathan there's enough here for you.  I ordered two."

            "Thanks."  Nathan took the extra sandwich from Lucas and settled on a stool across from his brother.  He took his second bite, before Keith excused himself and went into his office.

            "Are we on for tomorrow night?" whispered Nathan.

            Lucas nodded.  He swallowed a bite and said, "Are you okay with it?"

            "Of course.  I offered, didn't I?"

            "You can change your mind."

            "Don't need to," insisted Nathan.  "It's the least I could do to make up for being such a jerk when you first joined the team."

            "That wasn't you," Lucas said quietly.  He toyed with some of the steak that fell out of his sandwich.  "That was Dan."

            Nathan plucked some cheese off the wax paper and popped it into his mouth.  "Don't you ever get pissed at the whole… well, you know?"

            Lucas shrugged.  "I don't know how I feel anymore.  But pissed definitely describes it a lot of the time."

            "You know, when we were in junior leagues together, before I knew we were brothers, I thought you were a pretty okay guy. I don't know what happened in between.  I don't know what made me decide to hate you."

            "Him."

            "I guess."

"Look, Nathan we can be friends, brothers, whatever we decide.  But it's going to be in spite of him.  He and I are not ever going to be anything to each other."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"Not after seeing the way he treats you.  I'm glad he didn't have a chance to raise me.  Didn't you warn me about that?  The time Whitey threw us off the bus.  You told me I should remember how he treated you before I felt bad that I didn't have him as a dad."

"I know what I said.  But he's not always that bad."

"Bad enough for you to take drugs."

Nathan cast down his eyes and studied his fingernails intently.  "Do you think," asked Nathan suddenly, bringing back his gaze to meet Lucas's eyes, "that I could break his record?"

"Which one?  The forty-three points against Cove City?"  Nathan nodded.  "Sure," said Lucas.  "You're good enough."

"On my own.  Without drugs?"

"Is that why you took the speed?  To break his record?"

"He kept saying I couldn't."

"He was wrong.  I bet we could do it."

"Not we.  Can **I** do it?"

"You're not an island, Nathan.  You're part of a team.  And as a team, next time we play Cove City, I bet you could break his record."

"We're playing them again next month."

"Then you'll break his record then.  We'll make sure of it."

The next day, Lucas was walking down the hall, with his head down, trying to cram in some last minute facts for his history test.  He didn't notice Brooke walk up to him until she hooked his elbow with hers.

"Lucas, you've got to lighten up.  You look so serious."

"Big test this period," he explained.

"Oh," she said knowingly.  "Then we'll just have to loosen you up tonight.  Are we still game?"

Lucas nodded.  "It's all set.  Nathan and Haley are going to Prime Time.  You know, the pool place.  If anyone asks, I was there too."

"Good.  So I can have you all to myself tonight."

"Can't wait."

"Neither can I."  Brooke's eyes darted from side to side, checking for faculty before planting a quick peck on Lucas's lips.  "There'll be more of that tonight," she teased and walked off, shaking her taught rear end.

After Lucas hosed down the grease stains outside of Keith's garage, the last thing he usually did before closing up shop, he went to shower and change for his big night out.  He was at Brooke's door at eight on the dot.  But he didn't have to ring the bell, because she was at the door ready to haul him inside. Her parents were out of town for the night and they had the place to themselves.

"I don't know why we're doing this.  We're supposed to abstain," Lucas said as Brooke plastered him with kisses. 

She hungrily tugged his coat off, threw it over the banister and dragged him up the steps.  "Don't worry.  I have more than just kissing planned for tonight."

Brooke led Lucas to a large master bedroom right off the top of the steps.  The lights were dimmed, and soft music was playing.  At the edge of the bed lay a tray of strawberries and whip cream.

"Brooke," Lucas said breathlessly.   "W-wow."  He put his hands up to his heart, said, "Be still my heart," and took a step back.  He didn't see the weights sticking out from under the bed, and tripped.  He fell backwards, toppling over until he broke his fall with the night table and hit his head on the corner.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Brooke.  She put her hands over her mouth and stifled a laugh.   "Are you okay?"  She knelt down beside a dazed Lucas and rubbed his head.  With her hands occupied, she had difficulty hiding her laughter.  Brooke bit her lip.  "How'd you manage that?"

Lucas slowly sat up.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Twelve?"

She lightly slapped his arm.  "Seriously.  You hit your head you can have a concussion.  Answer me."  She held up three fingers.

"Three," he assured her.  "My head is fine.  I can get up," he said with a sheepish smile.  He jumped up, but wobbled as he landed on his feet.  Brooke grabbed Lucas's arm to steady him.

"Come on Lucas, sit down on the bed. I'm going to grab some ice from the kitchen.  Maybe we should go to the emergency room."  She chewed her lip, and fixed a worried gaze on Lucas.  

"No emergency room.  First of all, I don't need it.  Second, they'll call Keith."

"Okay.  No emergency room, but –"

"Brooke," he said, put a reassuring hand on hers, "let's just do whatever you planned."

"I don't know.  I mean, I don't know if you should.  Not if you're a head injury patient."

"We have the entire house to ourselves…" His voice trailed off.

Brooke was finally convinced.  Lucas pushed Brooke down, so that she fell on the bed.  He kissed her lightly on the neck, down her side, on her belly.  She inched back on the bed, pushing herself in the center.  Luke followed her, kissing her and peeling off the layers of her clothes.

A half hour later, they were lying under the covers, naked, except for their underwear.  Lucas propped himself up on his elbow, brushing Brooke's hair with his fingers.  

"You are so beautiful," he told he".

"Tell me more."

"I want you so badly."

"I want you too."  She turned on her side, letting the blanket fall away, exposing her milky white breast.  She leaned forward, letting her breast brush up against Lucas's chest.  "So what are we waiting for?"

"Brooke…." Lucas said, letting his voice trail off.

"We both want it.  I don't believe you're infected.  The chances are slim."

"I had blood poisoning!"

"Fine!" she said falling back on the pillow.  "We'll wait.  How many more weeks?"

"It's more like four months."

"You sure are a trying –" Brooke stopped in mid sentence.  She was about to say boyfriend, but was not sure that Lucas was ready to hear those words.  "You sure are trying," she amended.  

Lucas rolled over and started kissing Brooke full on the lips when the phone rang.

"Ignore it," he demanded.

"Okay," she agreed.  But after four rings the answering machine clicked on.  

"Brooke?  Lucas?  Are you guys there?"  It was Nathan.

Brooke grabbed the phone on the side of the bed and said, "Nathan.  We're here."

"Sorry to interrupt," he said.

"Yeah.  Right."

At the other end, Nathan smirked.  "Listen, I need to talk to Lucas."  Brooke hit speakerphone and put the receiver back in its cradle.  "Lucas, you there?"

 "Yeah.  It's me.  This isn't the best time, man." Lucas noticed the sound of beeping horns.  "Where are you?"

"Sorry.  I'm in the car on the way home.  My Dad showed up at Prime Time.  It wasn't pretty and he mentioned he might go see my mom.  He was pretty mad.  I need to make sure she's all right."

"Okay."

"I wanted you to know.  In case she talks to Keith later on."

Lucas sighed.  "Yeah.  Thanks.  Hope everything is okay."

"Catch you later."

Lucas pressed the receiver, disconnecting the call.  He fell back on the pillow.  "If I stay, Keith is bound to find out I wasn't with Nathan."

"You can say you hung around Prime Time after Nathan left."

"He won't buy that."  Reluctantly, Lucas sat up and fished around for his clothes.  "I'm sorry Brooke."

"You're home early," Keith said.

Luke dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, grabbed the open can of soda out of Keith's hands and took a sip.  "Dan crashed our night out.  Nathan went to check on is mom when Dan said he was headed there."  Lucas played with the tab on the can of soda. 

"You okay?"

Lucas nodded.

"You sure?"

Lucas nodded again.

"You want to check on your brother.  Don't you?"

"Yes."

"So what are you waiting for?"


	15. Letting it all out

Usual disclaimers apply.

            Lucas sat in the Scott driveway tapping his steering wheel.  Nathan and Deb's cars were in the driveway, but there was a third car too.  It was a sleek little Porsche, which Lucas assumed was Dan's.  When Keith had suggested he come over to check on Nathan and Deb, Lucas had thought Dan would be long gone.  The memory of the confrontation at the café was still vivid in his mind.  He still trembled at the recollection.

            Lucas waited about five minutes, but when Dan didn't emerge, Lucas started to head for the house anyway.  It was strange being at the Scott house without a crowd of people or Keith and his mom at his side.  Even if Deb had thrown Dan out, this was still his house.  It was the house of the man who had discarded him without a thought.  Thinking about it, made Lucas cold all over. 

            Slowly, Lucas walked up the front steps and rang the doorbell.  He had to ring it twice before Deb answered the door.  "Lucas."  Her face was pale.  "I don't think this is such a good time."

            "I came to see that you and Nathan were all right."

            "That was very sweet," she said, "But really, you should go."

            Lucas shook his head.  "If it's okay with you, I think I'll come in.  I want to see Nathan for myself."

            Reluctantly, Deb held the door open, letting Lucas in.  Just seeing the lavish foyer, made the old resentments build up in Lucas's chest.  The Scotts had all the money while he and his mom lived hand to mouth.  He let his mother's words replay in his head, how she preferred struggling financially if it meant Dan stayed out of their lives, but he could still feel the bile rise in his throat.

            He could hear the sound of Dan's voice from the other room.  Lucas followed the rise and fall of his voice and Nathan's pathetic stammering until he found the pair in the kitchen.  Nathan was sitting on one of the high stools, his elbows on the counter and his chin propped up in his hands.  He had a defeated look in his eyes.

            "Is this girl really worth it, Nathan?" Dan was asking.  "Who is she?  Karen's kid's leftovers?  Some waitress who isn't going anywhere?  Nathan –"

            It felt like steam was being released from the top of Lucas's head.  "Don't you ever talk about Haley like that," Lucas said in a slow measured tone.  "You don't know the first thing about her."

            Dan whipped around.  "What are you doing here?" asked Dan icily.

            "Checking up on my brother."

            Dan laughed.  "Is that what you're calling each other now-a-days?"  He shook his head and turned back to Nathan, dismissing Lucas.  "As I was saying, son.  You could do a whole lot better. I don't want you seeing that girl anymore.  You've got to concentrate on basketball.  You should count your lucky stars that Whitey didn't throw you off the team.  He had every right to after that little stunt with the amphetamines."

            "You don't know a thing about Haley!" Shouted Nathan.  "I will not stop seeing her.  I've been paying my dues for taking those damn drugs.  I've been going to a therapist.  I've been taking random drug tests from mom.  And I've been working at the café."

            Dan slammed his hand down hard on the counter.  It made both Lucas and Nathan jump.  "I am your father, dammit.  You will do as I say."

            "Who the hell needs you as a father."  Nathan waved his hands at Lucas.  "Lucas is the lucky Scott.  You abandoned him before he was born.  He didn't grow up with the constant needling and belittling.  No wonder he's the one with his head on straight."

            "Nathan, enough," came Deb firm voice, surprising them all. "You're not helping things.  Take Lucas up to your room."

            Nathan hesitated.

             "Now," she commanded.

            Nathan stood and left the kitchen, motioning for Lucas to follow him.  They got as far as the living room, when Nathan stopped and put his finger to his lips.  "I don't want to go too far.  He can get pretty nasty."

            "Tell me about it," said Lucas.  He remembered the time he came in on Dan and Keith talking.  He heard Dan say that he had offered Karen money to take care of the problem.  It hadn't been difficult to figure out that he had meant an abortion.  Since that day, he had wondered if his mother had considered the option and what her life would be like if he had not been born.

            They leaned against the wall, but they didn't need a glass to hear Dan and Deb arguing.  "You're alienating your son.  Telling him he can't see his girlfriend is the stupidest thing you can do."

            "Someone has got to look out for him."

            "What do you think I'm doing?" Deb shouted.

            "You would be away for two weeks out of the month.  Suddenly, you decided you didn't like how things are, so you quit your job, take over Karen's Café and then kick me out of the house.  Well, you can kick me out of your life, but you can't kick me out of Nathan's life.  He's my son too and I have a right to look out for him.  That girl will just bring him down.  Like Karen tried to bring me down."

            Deb laughed, but it came out more like a cackle.  "Karen is not the one who brought you down.  Your own ego brought you down."  She stood in front of Dan her face inches from his.  "I will not let you ruin Nathan's life.  Nathan was right.  Lucas was better off.  I wish I had the smarts to leave you years ago.  I want you out of this house.  And do not dare try and see my son unless I'm in the room with him."

            "He's my son too Deb."

            "I will not let you ruin his life.  Leave Dan before you regret it."

            The next thing the boys heard was the front door slamming and the revving of an engine before the tires squealed as Dan raced out of the driveway.   Nathan's eyes closed and he leaned his head against the wall.

            "You okay?" asked Lucas, putting a hand on Nathan's shoulder.

            Nathan nodded.  "Sorry you had to hear all that."

            "Nothing I didn't know already."  Yet he couldn't get used to Dan just dismissing him like he was a piece of lint on his brand new suit.  

            "Boys?" Deb came out of the kitchen.  "I didn't think you made it up to your room.  So much for listening to dear old mom."

            "I just wanted to be close, in case he got out of hand."

            "I can handle your father, Nathan."  She looked guiltily at Lucas.

            Lucas held up his hand.  "Don't worry, he's not my father."

            "Mom, he's not going to go away."

            "I don't suppose he will.  But Nathan your job now is to concentrate on staying away from drugs, keeping your grades up and enjoying yourself.  Like playing basketball and spending time with Haley.  Now," said Deb walking up to the two teenagers and taking them by the shoulders, "the two of you can continue your night out."

            Nathan shook his head.  "I need to call Haley and make sure she's all right.  He was real crappy to her."

            "And I need to get home.  Keith will worry."

            Deb smiled and patted Lucas's shoulder.  "You have a good dad in Keith."

            Lucas smiled, but the words cut like a knife.  He remembered yelling at Keith and telling his uncle that he was not his father.  Even if the words were true in actuality, deep down Lucas knew that Keith was his father in every sense of the word.  Between him and Nathan, Lucas knew he was the luckier of the two.

            Nathan led Lucas to the front door.  The boys clasped hands and shook.  "Thanks, man," Nathan said.

            "Any time."

            "I hope not.  See you tomorrow at practice?"

            Lucas nodded as he left.

            At home, Keith was waiting for Lucas.  For the first time in weeks, he didn't feel like Keith was waiting to yell at him, ground him or tell him what to do.  It felt like the old Keith was waiting for him to talk and catch up.

            "You okay?" asked Keith.

            Lucas shrugged his shoulders.  "I guess."  He went to the fridge and took out the bread and peanut butter and started to make himself a sandwich.  

            "What happened with Nathan and Deb?"

            "Dan was ripping into Nathan about Haley.  He forbade him to see her."

            Keith cringed.

            "Two peas in a pod," said Lucas.

            "That's not fair, Lucas.  Dan was saying it because he's a bigot.  Let me guess, he doesn't think Haley is good enough for Nathan.  I was concerned for you.  Brooke was bringing about behaviors that were out of character—"

            "Is this conversation going to make you change your mind about Brooke?"  Lucas asked as he finished making his sandwich.

            Keith shook his head.

            "Then there's no point in continuing it," Lucas said, sitting down at the kitchen table and taking a bite out of his sandwich.

            "What about Nathan?  How'd he take it from Dan?"

            "He didn't.  And Deb didn't back Dan up.  She told Nathan she wanted him seeing Haley."

            "And how did Dan react when you showed up."

            "React?  He…. He ignored me.  Pretended I wasn't there.  Like my life before joining the basketball team."

            "Lucas—"

            "Keith.  Don't.  Dan Scott's treats me like I was a piece of dog shit he stepped in.  But you know what I don't get?" asked Lucas.

            "What?" asked Keith, sitting down across from his nephew.

            "Dan got Mom pregnant right after high school.  I can sort of see why he dumped her.  He was young and he had a whole life ahead of him.  The thought of being tied down with a wife and child was probably pretty scary.  He wasn't much older than me."

            Keith gazed at his nephew wide-eyed.  He was surprised at how mature Lucas was.  How matter of fact his nephew could speak of the man who had abandoned him.  

            "What I don't get," said Lucas, "is why only three months later he was able to make the commitment with Deb.  Why is it that he chose Nathan over me?"

            Keith stood and came around the kitchen table.  He held Lucas in his strong arms and for the first time ever, Lucas cried for the father who never wanted him.


	16. Thin Ice

All usual disclaimers apply.  I don't own the characters from One Tree Hill.

            Keith looked in on his nephew one last time.  He resisted the urge to pull Lucas's blanket up around him and tuck him in, lest he disturb his fitful sleep.  Lucas had cried for a long time before he regained his composure.  And when he finally stopped, he wriggled out of Keith's hug and with a weak smile headed to his room.  Half an hour later, Keith saw that Lucas was in bed and pretending to sleep.  Just like when Lucas was a young boy and having bad dreams, Keith sat outside his bedroom door to keep the daemons away.  

            It was two a.m. before Keith untangled himself from his sitting position on the floor and he calculated the time in Italy where Karen was.  It would be morning and he could still catch her before class began.  Keith knew he had made a mistake all along not letting Karen know the truth about what was going on with her son.  Tonight that realization was crystal clear.  Karen couldn't prevent the hurt that Luke was feeling.  Dan had done everlasting damage when he left mother and son to fend for themselves.  But only Karen was equipped to help heal Lucas's wounds.  

                   Keith dialed the number and had to only wait a few moments before he heard the click and then the ringing of the phone at the other end of the ocean.  

                   "Hello."

                   "Karen?  It's me.  Keith."

                   "Keith!  Hi.  What time is it?  Shouldn't you be in bed?  Is everything okay?"

                   "I miss you," he said into the phone.  He sat on the couch with the cordless and put his feet up on the coffee table.

                   "I miss you too.  You didn't call me at two a.m. just to say that."

                   "No," said Keith, shaking his head, even though Karen could not see.  "It's Lucas.  I haven't been telling you everything."

                   "So, you're finally going to fess up about the tattoo," she said lightly.

                   Keith caught his breath and didn't say anything right away.  "You know about that?"

****

                   Lucas didn't remember ever having such an intense practice session.  He and Nathan had been all over the court, working together so that Nathan could keep scoring.  Tim and Jake slowly caught on, and soon it seemed like Nathan was handed off every possible shot.  Lucas was sure they didn't understand why they were doing it, just that they should.  

                   Whitey saw it too.  The coach was actually praising the team, in his gruff way.  He knew that if they kept playing like this, they would defeat Cove City again in three weeks.  They had a real chance at being undefeated this season.  But that didn't matter to Lucas.  He just wanted Nathan to break Dan's scoring record.  He wanted it for him as well as for Nathan.

                   "You look wiped," said Brooke, slinking up behind him.

                   "Beyond that," Lucas said, shaking off some of the sweat that was drenching his head.  

                     "Eeew," screeched Brooke, jumping away.   "That is so gross."

                   "Sorry," laughed Lucas.

                   "You don't look very sorry," she said, swatting him lightly.  "So what are you doing after practice?"

                   "Crawling into bed."

                   "Seriously."

                   Lucas shrugged.

                   "Then come ice skating with me," Brooke urged.  "I'm dying to do some skating.  I haven't done any in ages."

                   "I don't know Brooke.  I'm so wiped and then there's my uncle Keith."

                   "Lucas, you need to stop worrying so much.  You've got to let loose."

                   "And all this can be accomplished if I join your ice skating party."

                   "It's a start."

                   "Okay.  You win.  As soon as I shower, we'll go ice skating."

***

                   "Whitey," said Keith with a smile.  "What brings you to my humble garage?"

                   "My breaks."  Coach Durham handed Keith they keys to his car and whistled to himself while waiting for Keith to take a look at it.   

                   "It'll be a minute.  I told Lucas he could go out with his friends and blow off work tonight."  

                   "Take your time.  I'm not in a rush."

                   Keith rolled under the car he was in middle of working on.  "Whitey, tell me, how's Lucas in school?  At practice?  Cause he's been having a rough time of it at home these past few weeks."

                   "He's been doing okay, except that little incident with Brooke Davis."  Whitey tried to erase that image from his head.  It wasn't easy; considering it wasn't the first time he had seen a half-naked Brooke around Lucas Scott.  "You should have seen him and Nathan on the court today.  They were moving like one, Keith. It was beautiful.  You should come down and watch them sometime."

                   Keith rolled out from under the car.  "Lucas has a doctor's appointment after school tomorrow.  I was planning on picking him up after practice. If I can get away early, I'll come and watch."

                   "It'll be well worth your time," said Whitey.

***

                   "I haven't been on skates since Junior High," warned Lucas.

                   "It's like riding a bicycle," assured Brooke.

                   "That's the problem!  I wasn't very good back then."  He bent over, and pulled the laces tight around his ankles.

                   "Just lean on me," Brooke said and pulled Lucas to a standing position.  "Let's get on the ice.  I can't wait."

                   Tentatively, Lucas stepped out on the ice.  He tried to hide his wobbling legs, but Brooke seemed to catch on and hooked him under his right arm.  "Come on sexy, just hang on to me."

                   Soft music played on the speaker, while Lucas and Brooke circled the ice arms linked.  Brooke leaned into Lucas, putting his head on his shoulder.   But as soon as she felt him wobbling again, she lifted her head and smiled coyly.

                   "Are you ready to let go?" she asked.

                   "I guess."

                   "Who would have thought you are such a wuss?"

                   "A wuss?  Me?" Lucas asked, his voice rising.  

                   "Yes you!  You can't even stand on your own two feet on the ice.  And you're scared to try."

                   "Is that what you think of me?" Lucas said, his eyes twinkling.  Brooke chewed on her lip, but nodded anyways.  "You're in a lot of trouble, young lady."  He let go of Brooke's hand, only to wrap his own hands around her skinny little waist.  "No one gets away with calling me a wuss," he whispered into her head.

                   "I just did."

                   "You didn't get away with it."

                   He started to skate again, forcing her along with him, going faster and faster.  He heard her screeching with delight behind him, but Lucas didn't slow down, until they were in the center of the rink, where the professional or experienced skaters went.  Just as they were in the thick of it, and the music was crooning a love song over the air, Lucas skidded, pulling them both down.  Brooke fell on top of him with gales of laughter.

                   "So am I sufficiently punished?" she asked, running her tongue over her teeth.

                   He put her arms around her, letting his hands slide to her ass.  "For now."

                   She leaned into him, kissing him hard.  Lucas kissed back, parting his lips, letting his tongue slip into her mouth and her tongue slip into his.  She tasted good.  She smelled good.  Everything about Brooke Davis intoxicated him and he knew he could never abide by Uncle Keith's rules.

                   "Come on, children. Get up or get a room."  They heard someone sliding to a stop beside them.  "This is a family place!"

                   Lucas looked up and shot his little brother a dirty look.

                   "Don't give me that look, bro," said Nathan.  

                   "Yeah," interjected Haley.  "The manager was about to come here with a hose."  

                   "Though the cold is obviously not doing anything to keep you two from pawing at each other."

                   Brooke disentangled herself and stretched out her hand to Nathan, so he could help her up.  Lucas tried to get up on his own, but fell down immediately, much to the delight of his friends.

                   "Will someone help me up?" cried Lucas after his third failed attempt.

                   "Nathan, I think you should have some pity on your brother."  Haley nudged her boyfriend, forcing him to lend a hand to Lucas.  

                   Nathan helped Lucas to his feet.  "That was for you, honey," he said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

                   "You're such a sweetie."  She took Nathan's hand and pulled him away, calling out, "let's leave the two lovebirds to themselves." The two skated off without a backwards glance.

                   "Alone again," Lucas said, wrapping his arms around Brooke's waist.

                   "Mmmhm," she said, tasting his lips.

                   "Maybe we should go somewhere more private."

                   Brooke nodded and led Lucas off the ice.  Ten minutes later, they were sitting in a corner, skates still on their feet, but steaming cups of coffee between their freezing hands.  

                   "Lucas, I don't want to wait anymore."  She moved from sitting beside him, to his lap.

                   "Neither do I."

                   "Then we're in agreement," she said.  She wrapped her leg around his.  "My parents are out of town again.  We can find Nathan and ask him to give your uncle some sort of excuse."

                   Lucas shook his head.

                   "But you just said –"

                   He cut her off.  "I know what I just said.  I don't want to wait.  But Brooke, I could never live with myself if I hurt you in anyway.  What if I test HIV positive?  It's just a couple of more months, until I get tested again.  I've marked the day on my calendar.  And they have those rapid AIDS tests, so I'll find out before I even leave the hospital.  Come on, let's hang in there and have some fun in the meantime."

                   "Scott, I told you, you've got to lighten up."

                   "Not with this, Brooke," he said, his expression growing serious.  "Not with your health."   

                   "You're doing this on purpose," she growled.  "You just want to make yourself more irresistible."

                   "I'm not irresistible already?" he asked, leaning over and kissing her on the lips.

                   "Why do you care so much?  What if I said, I didn't care?  I'm willing to throw caution to the wind."

                   Lucas sighed, leaning his head back against the wall.  "I'd say it doesn't matter. I'm not going to risk hurting you.  I care too much.  I think I'm starting to love you Brooke."


	17. Homecoming

Disclaimer:  The characters don't belong to me, but to the WB's One Tree Hill.  If you haven't guessed already, the story is coming to some sort of closure.  (Not this chapter though!)  Thanks for all the great reviews.  It really kept me writing.

            "Good morning, sleepyhead," Keith said the next morning, as Lucas strolled into the kitchen.

            "Keith, it's six a.m.  How can you call me a sleepyhead?"  Lucas reached for the cereal and poured a bowl.  He grabbed a few of the flakes and popped them in his mouth.

            "Because your eyes are droopy, your hair is tousled and you look like you just rolled out of bed."

            "And because of that, you call me sleepy?  I look like this every morning."

            Keith laughed.  He reached out to muss Lucas's hair, but Luke ducked. 

            "I'll pick you up after practice," Keith told him.

            "Why?"

            "Did you forget your doctor's appointment?"

            "Oh jeez.  Yes I forgot."

            "That's why I'm doing the parenting.  Your appointment is at four thirty.  We can't be late."

            "Can't I just skip it?" begged Lucas.  "I'm feeling fine.  I'm obviously better."

            "No you cannot skip it.  When your mother comes back, you've got to be a picture of health, so she can kill you when she sees that tattoo."

***

            "Lucas," called Jaglieski, at practice, "over here.  I'm open."

            Lucas held the ball in his hands.  Two members of the white team were double-teaming him.  He had to give up the ball.  Jaglieski was the better shot, but Nathan could still score.  He hesitated for a split second but threw the ball to Jake.  Nathan glared at him for a moment, but then gave Lucas a thumb's up sign.  Nathan had to break his father's scoring record, but the team had to still win.  They hadn't yet worked out how to accomplish both goals.  

            The ball came back to Lucas, but again, the white team ganged up on him and he didn't have a clear shot.  This time, he aimed for Nathan.  Nathan caught the ball, dribbled, stopped and threw the ball.  Swish.  Lucas felt Nathan's elation as the ball went into the basket.  They slapped hands, as they moved into position.  Neither noticed Keith sitting in the bleachers, watching the two boys work together.

            When Whitey blew the whistle, Lucas went to the side and toweled off.

            "Ten minutes," called Whitey.  "Then I want to see everyone back on the court."

            Brooke came up to Lucas.  "Can we take a break in the locker room?"

            "Sure."

            They walked off together, hand in hand.  Lucas still didn't see his uncle sitting in the bleachers.  He didn't notice Keith standing, about to call for his nephew's attention.  When Keith noticed Lucas squeezing Brooke's hand, he silently followed the teenagers.

            In the locker room, Lucas had Brooke pinned against his locker.  They were kissing intently, tongues reaching down each other's throats.  Brooke's hands reached under Lucas's jersey, stroking his sweaty torso.  He reached under her cheerleading sweater and caressed her clammy skin.

            "Did you mean what you said yesterday?" she asked breathlessly.

            Lucas nodded.  "I did."

            For a moment, it looked like Brooke wanted to say something else, but instead she kissed Lucas again.  They didn't hear Coach Durham's whistle, calling the team back to practice.  Lucas was too intent on touching Brooke's downy skin.  

            "Lucas," barked Keith.

            Lucas jumped back from Brooke and guiltily turned to the sound of the voice.  He could feel his heart hammering against his chest.  

            "Uncle Keith."

            Brooke ducked out from under Lucas.  "I'll catch you later," she said.

            "No," said Keith.  "You will not."

            Brooke opened her mouth, about to say something, but noticed the steam coming out from Keith's head and decided against it.  For a change, she was glad for her parent's indifference.  She didn't want to be Lucas right now.  If she were, she would be very afraid, because pure fury was painted on his uncle's face.  She slunk out of the locker room, heading off some of the players who were coming in.

            "Get dressed," ordered Keith.  "We're going to be late."

            "Keith –"

            "Not a word, Lucas.  Get dressed and we'll talk about it in the car."

            Lucas went into the shower, meeting up with his other teammates. "Whitey was ready to blow a gasket when you didn't come back in.  Then he noticed Keith was gone and thought he took you home early," said Nathan.  "So where were you?"

            "In the locker room with Brooke."  Lucas turned his face up to the stream of water.  "Keith walked in."

            Nathan turned his lips into an o.

            "I have to meet him in the car. I better get going."  He rinsed off the last of the soap, took his towel off the wall, and went back to his locker.  Quickly, he pulled on his street clothes, tied his sneakers and reached into his locker for his backpack.  But he couldn't bring himself to walk out and meet Keith.  

            "Get in the car," commanded Keith, when Lucas finally met him outside.

            Lucas leaned his head against the window.  He didn't dare change the radio station, like he usually did when he and Keith rode together.  He wanted to say something to defend himself, but didn't know what to say.  He closed his eyes and waited for the tongue lashing to begin.  But it didn't.  Keith drove in stony silence until they reached the hospital, where Lucas was due to take another blood culture and have a check-up.

            "Mr. Scott," the doctor said, "you're back and the picture of health."

            "Hi Dr. Jones, how're you doing?"

            "Well.  And you?" the doctor asked.  "Any nausea?  Headaches?"

            "I've been fine.  And I finished the antibiotics you prescribed.  All ten days.  Thanks to my uncle," Lucas said, smiling up at Keith.  Keith didn't smile back.  He stood in the background, his arms folded across his chest.

            "Well," said the doctor, "It sounds promising.  Let's have you checked out and then we can send you on your way."

            "What about the HIV test.  You're going to take it today, right?"

            The doctor glanced down at the chart and shook his head.  "You took the first HIV test when you were in here four weeks ago.  There has to be six months between the tests.  You can go to your regular doctor or come back here to our clinic for the retest."

            Lucas sighed and stretched out his arm, submitting it for a blood test.  Five more months before he could be with Brooke.  That is if he ever saw her again

Forty minutes later, Lucas was dressed again and back in Keith's truck.  The silence was oppressive.

            "Keith, man, please say something."

            "You lied to me."

            "I know.  I'm sorry."

            "Are you?  Are you really sorry or are you sorry that you were caught?"

            Lucas didn't say anything.

            "I suspect you're sorry you were caught.  So, how many lies did you tell me?  Was Nathan covering for you all those times?"

            "Yes."

            "Deb will be thrilled to hear that."

            "Don't get Nathan in trouble.  He was just trying to help me out."

"I won't.  Nathan will tell Deb himself."

Lucas shook his head angrily.  Keith was great at getting his nephews to confess their sins to their parents.  He recalled the time Keith forced him to tell Karen about taking Peyton's car away from the scene of a hit and run.  "I'm crazy about Brooke. I think I love her.  I couldn't stay away from her."

"You're the one who put me in an impossible position.  You've been out of control since your mom left."

"You'd think I became some sort of drug addict this past month, instead of just a boyfriend." 

Keith gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.  

"What are you going to do?" Lucas asked in a barely audible voice.

 "I don't know Luke.  I don't know."

He turned into the driveway and parked the car.   "Get into the house and go straight to your room."

Lucas alighted from the truck, slamming the door shut.  He dragged his feet into the house, wanting to delay what he knew would be a long confinement.  When he opened the front door, a scent of garlic wafted through the air.  He stopped in the doorway, mouth agape.

"Mom?"

Keith was three steps behind him, and practically collided into Lucas's stalled figure.  "I thought I told you –" Keith stared into the house.  "Karen?"

"It's me," Karen said.  "Don't I get a hug?"

Lucas stepped into the house and into his mother's outstretched arms.  Keith followed his nephew and wrapped his arms around Karen.  "I thought we decided you were going to stay in Italy." Keith whispered.

"What?" shouted Lucas.  "You knew she was coming home?  You discussed this?"

"Lucas," Karen admonished.  "Don't sound so angry.  Come on," she ordered.  "Let's go inside."

When they were in the living room, Lucas whirled around.  "You called Mom and asked her to come home?"

"It wasn't like that Lucas.  Keith called me because he was concerned about you.  I thought I was going to stay, but I couldn't.  Not when you needed me."

But Lucas barely heard his mother.  "You call me a liar," he yelled.  "You called Mom way before you knew I was still dating Brooke.  You are so two-faced."

"Lucas!" his mom shouted.

"Let me explain, Luke," Keith said evenly.

"Go to hell!"

"Lucas Scott!  Apologize right now.  How dare you talk to Keith like that?"

"You're a friggin' liar.  You're sitting there guilting me in the car, when all along you knew that you were the first one to break the deal.  'I won't call your mother,'" he mimicked, "'if you don't see Brooke.'"

"What's going on here?" Karen asked, confused by her son's outburst and Keith's helplessness.  "What have I walked into?"

"You explain," Lucas demanded.  "I'm getting out of here."

"No you are not, Lucas.  You are staying right here," commanded Karen.  "Both of you," she said, "sit."  She pointed to the couch.  "Now."

 A pale Keith sat down on the couch and crossed his legs.  He waited for Lucas to join him, but his young nephew didn't.  Instead, Lucas looked at his mother and Keith, shaking his head and stormed out of the house.


	18. Complicated

Disclaimer:  Usual disclaimers apply.

            Karen started to go after Lucas, but Keith grabbed her hand telling her to let him go and cool off.  Karen hesitated for a moment.  She wasn't used to seeing Lucas so angry, but it wasn't the first time he had needed some space and deep down, she knew Keith was right.  As soon as Lucas was out of her line of vision, she whirled around, her eyes blazing.

            "What the hell is going on?" 

            Keith buried his face in his hands. He suddenly felt very tired, as if the past month had aged him by fifty years.  He glanced up at Karen and then averted his gaze to the shabby carpeting.  

            "I guess he has a right to be upset."  Keith's shoulders slumped.  "I was being a hypocrite.  I told him if he stayed away from Brooke I wouldn't call you in Italy and tell you everything that was going on."

            "But you called me the other day."

            "Lucas didn't know about it.  And Karen, I thought we decided you were going to stay for the class.  There was one week left."

            "It looks like I came home just in time."

            Keith shrugged his shoulders.  "Maybe."  He rubbed his day old beard.  "I caught Lucas sneaking around with Brooke a few weeks ago.  He was still grounded from that tattoo incident.  He'd cut class, gotten detention and a whole bunch of other little things.  I told him if he didn't want me to call you, he had to stop seeing Brooke.  It seemed like a good idea, because all the trouble kept leading back to her.  But I don't know what I was thinking.  I mean, if my dad had tried to tell me I couldn't see a girl, I would have done the same thing Lucas did."

            "That doesn't make it right."

            "No.  Lucas did wrong, but I did some bad parenting."

            Karen sat down beside Keith, and hugged him to her side.  "You did fine.  If he had gotten a tattoo when I was around, you could be sure he wouldn't have shown it to me.  He showed it to you because he trusts you.  And if you hadn't known about the tattoo, he could have gotten a lot sicker, possibly even gone into septic shock.  What just happened is normal."

            "Not for Lucas."

            "Maybe he's just a late bloomer Keith.  It doesn't matter.  I don't want him running around town so upset.  He's bound to get hurt.  I'm going to look for him."

            Keith stood abruptly, shaking his head.  "Let me look for him."

****

            For the first ten minutes, Lucas wandered blindly, rage building up behind his eyes, making his head hurt.  He hadn't wanted his mom to give up the cooking school. It was a once in a lifetime chance and she had come home early because of him.  He banged his forehead with the heel of his hand, "Idiot.  Idiot.  Idiot," he muttered to himself.

            He needed to talk to Haley or Nathan, but neither was home.  They were probably out together, having fun, making out.  Lucas cringed at that thought.  Haley was like a sister to him.  He didn't like to think about her kissing anyone.  Even if it was his brother.  Lucas pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

            "Hello?"  

            His heart leapt when he hear the sound of Brooke's sultry voice on the other end of the phone.  "Brooke, it's me."

            "Lucas!  Are you okay?  I didn't think I would hear from you in a while.  You don't sound too good.  Did your uncle chew you out?"

            "No.  Brooke, I really need to see you."

            "Okay.  Where are you?  Home?  Is that such a good idea?"

            "Meet me at the playground.  You know which one?"

            "Of course I do.  Will you be okay until I get there?"

            "I'll be fine.  Just get there as quick as you can."

            He pushed the red button on his phone, ending the conversation.  He took a small jump and broke into a sprint. The wind whipped against his face and for a moment the cool air made him forget.  The playground was deserted.  Skives, Mouth and the other guys weren't around.  The games always slowed down during this time of year, when they were bogged down with schoolwork and the weather was cold.  Even so, Lucas found a ball rolling around the middle of the court.  It was a bit deflated, but it had enough bounce left in it for Lucas to dribble and throw.  Mindlessly, he repeated this until he heard Brooke drive up in her Volkswagen Beetle.

            "Lucas.  What happened?" she said slamming the door shut behind her.  "Are you okay?"

            Luke fell into Brooke's embrace and buried his head in her shoulder.  It took most of his self-restraint not to cry in front of her.  "My mom came home," Lucas finally said in a choked voice.  He walked over to one of the picnic tables, dragging his feet, kicking litter to the side.  "I pretended that I wasn't seeing you because Keith promised he wouldn't tell my mom.  But he lied.  He called my mom days ago and tonight she came home."

            Brooke chortled.  "That's why you're so mad.  It's not like you ever kept your word to him.  You never even tried to stop seeing me."

            Lucas ducked his head and smiled.  "Do I sound ridiculous?"

            "Only slightly."

            Laughing, Lucas fell forward into Brooke's shoulder.  He felt Brooke shiver.  "Are you cold?" he asked.

            "A little."

            "We can go into your car and turn on the heat."

            Lucas opened the door and helped Brooke climb into the driver's seat.  He went around to the passenger's side and slid in next to her.  Brooke turned on the ignition and Lucas fiddled with the heat and then the radio.  Avril Lavigne's _Complicated_ filtered through the speakers.  Lucas leaned his head back against the leather headrest.

            "Talk about complicated.  I can't go home."

            "You don't have to go home right now."  Brooke turned to her side and reached her hand out under Lucas's shirt.  "You can stay away for a little while."

            He turned to face Brooke.   "I wasn't planning to go home.  Not now."  He took her hand and in his and said, "About the other night Brooke, I'm sorry if I freaked you out.  You don't have to feel the same way.  I'm not sure how I feel."

            "Are you trying to take it back?"

            "No!"

            "Good."  She leaned forward and kissed Lucas full on the lips.  "Maybe we'd be more comfortable in the back seat.  Without the gear shift between us."  Lucas watched Brooke climb into the back seat.  His gazed lingered on her taught round bottom.  "Your turn," she said, reaching out for him.

            Lucas followed her.  Immediately, Brooke grabbed him by his shirtfront and started kissing him.  She had one hand on his chest and with the other she maneuvered out of her sweater, exposing her lacy black bra.

            Lucas held up his hands and let her take off his tee shirt.  When his hands were free, he fiddled with the back of her bra until he managed to unclasp the little hook and eyes.  The straps fell from her shoulders and Lucas helped them off until he was staring at Brooke's supple round chest.

            For the first time since he had started dating Brooke, Lucas didn't let any thoughts about family, friends, school, or being responsible enter his mind.  He only let the vision he had before him crowd his head.  

            Brooke's hands went for his belt and Lucas didn't stop her. He pushed her back on the cramped back seat and kissed her hard.  He let his hands glide to her slacks and reached for the button that kept them close.  

            "Do you have protection with you?" Brooke asked.

            For a moment, Lucas froze.  Then he nodded.  "My wallet," he mumbled, kissing her lips.  

            Later, when they were done, they sat cuddled together in the back seat.  Lucas took Brooke's sweater and wrapped it around her shoulders because she was shivering.

            "I'm sorry," he said softly.

            "I'm not."

            "They wouldn't give me that HIV test today.  The doctor said I had to wait another five months."

            "I don't care about that Lucas.  You were wonderful."

            "You were amazing," he whispered into her hair.  He closed his eyes and squeezed away a tear.  "I didn't mean to use you."

            "Use me?  How?"

            "To forget about how complicated everything was.  How much I screwed up.  How mad I am at Keith."

            "Maybe your anger made you finally throw caution to the wind, but we've been down this road a few dozen times since we started going out.  Tonight, you decided not to put the breaks on it.  But I don't feel used.  So please don't make this feel cheap."

            In the back seat of a car, Lucas thought to himself, how could she not feel cheap?  But he didn't say anything else.  He didn't want to hurt her feelings or make it worse.  They were sitting, listening to the music, holding each other, when they heard a car drive up.  Quickly, Lucas handed Brooke her sweater and he pulled on his tee shirt and pants.

            They were barely dressed when Keith knocked on the window.

            "Excuse me," he was calling.  "I'm sorry to bother you."

            When Lucas stuck his head out of the backseat, he could make out a flush creeping into Keith's face under the dim park lights.

            "Uncle Keith," said Lucas, trying to hide his surprise.

            "Lucas.  I've been looking all over for you.  Your mom and I were worried sick."

            "Well I'm fine."

            "Good."  Keith swallowed and looked away as Brooke emerged from the back seat. Her top was on all skewed and she quickly ducked into the front seat.

            "Luke, come home, okay.  Let's talk."

            "I don't want to talk," Luke said belligerently.

            "Then we won't talk," Keith said, an edge creeping into his voice.  "But you're coming home.  Not for me, but for your mother."

            "And if I say no?"

            "Then I'm going to drag your ass home by force, but let's not make it so difficult."

            "Lucas," Brooke said softly.  "Go.  I'll catch you at school tomorrow."

            Luke turned to Brooke and stared at her intently.  He thoughtfully chewed on his lip.  She nodded reassuringly, urging him to go.  Finally, Lucas turned to his uncle, stepped out of the Beetle and followed Keith to his truck.


	19. The Talk

This was a tough chapter to write. It's a bit slower than I wanted it to be, but please bear with me.  
  
Disclaimer: Just having fun with the characters of the WB's One Tree Hill. They don't belong to me. I don't profit. The WB can have them back whenever they choose to air some new episodes.  
  
Three days had passed since Lucas's mother had returned from Italy, but things were still not back to normal. For one, Keith had not moved back to his place. He and Karen had made a show of propriety, sleeping in separate bedrooms, but Lucas was pretty sure that Keith went to Karen in middle of the night. Before his mother had left to Italy, he would have wanted this for her, but now Lucas wasn't sure how he felt about his uncle.  
They had never really talked that night when Keith had dragged him home from the park. Karen had hugged him, asked him if he was all right, but had left it at that. She didn't yell at him for running off. She didn't insist that he apologize to Keith again. She pretended that nothing had happened. It wasn't like his mother and Lucas wondered what was going on. So instead of things relaxing, the tension was in the air. It felt like all Lucas had to do was throw a match and everything would burst into flames.  
Lucas still went to the garage after school to work with Keith, but it seemed like the only things they said to each other were related to the job. "Luke, can you find me some break fluid," or "Keith, pass me a wrench." A few times, both had started to say something, but had quickly stopped themselves in case things would blow up out of control. Neither was certain their relationship could withstand another outburst.  
Finally, on the third day, when Lucas came home from the garage, Karen dragged him up to the roof of the café, where he and Haley had set up the miniature golf course. She took a club for herself and handed one to him.  
"You go first," she said, putting the ball down by the tee.  
Lucas wasn't in the mood for golfing, but he knew his mother had taken him up to the roof to talk. She found it easier to talk to Lucas, whether it was to praise, reprimand, or advise, when they were busy doing something else. Lucas looked down at the ball, looked at the hole, and swung his club, aiming badly. The ball didn't even go in the vicinity of the hole.  
Karen laughed. "This must be a metaphor for how our lives have been for the past few days."  
"How?" Lucas asked, raising his blonde brows at her.  
"Well, there are a lot of things we want to say to each other, yet we aren't saying them. I think we're afraid we're going to miss."  
Lucas sighed. She usually waited until the second or third hole before starting in on him. He lifted the club, placing it on top of the windmill, and leaned forward, using the club as support.  
"Lucas, we can't let things go on as they are."  
"Is Keith moving in with you?"  
"Moving in?" asked Karen incredulously. "No. My goodness, before I left to Italy we were just good friends. He sublet his apartment, Luke. The people who are staying there have another week to live there before Keith can go back in."  
"Oh."  
Karen chuckled. "What did you think? Keith was sneaking into my bed in middle of the night."  
Lucas didn't have to answer. The red that overpowered his face said it all.  
Karen continued to laugh, patting her son on the back. "Lucas, sometimes you're too much. Besides, two months ago, you were all for my dating Keith."  
"Dating is the operative word. And that was before we spent the last month together."  
Karen sat down on the ground, crossing her legs Indian style. "You make it sound like he did a lot of things wrong. Like you weren't to blame in any of this." She looked up at her son, giving him one of her motherly looks. "Tell me, Lucas, what exactly did Keith do that was so wrong?"  
"I'm mostly upset that he called you in Italy and told all. I really wanted this for you."  
"Mmmhhmm," Karen said. She plucked at the fake grass. "Yet, you had never stopped seeing Brooke, even though Keith told you to." She waited for Lucas to say something. "Nothing to say? I wonder why? I've never known you to be so unreasonable, Lucas."  
"He shouldn't have told me to stay away from her. You never would have done that."  
"I wouldn't? You never put me in that position, Lucas. For the most part, you've been a model son. Until you joined the basketball team, my biggest problems were getting you to clean up your room and reminding you to let me know where you were going to be and when you'd be home. How do you know that I wouldn't have told you to stop seeing Brooke if you had come home drunk and with a tattoo? If you had started cutting classes, and getting detention? If you had started sneaking people in the house when you were supposed to be grounded? How do you know how I would have reacted?"  
"Because I know you Mom."  
"Don't bet on it Lucas. I don't know what I would do if I thought I could identify the bad influence." She waved her hand, motioning Lucas to sit down beside her. When he did, she took her arm and wrapped it around his shoulders, squeezing him with a side hug. "Personally, I think Keith made a mistake. I think the source of this bad behavior is not Brooke, but joining the basketball team."  
"Mom," he started to object.  
She put up a hand to stop him. "After you started the team, you got into a fight at school. You engaged in some illegal activity when you took a car away from the scene of an accident. You stayed out all night -"  
"Come one Mom," he protested. "The fight was with Nathan and we're getting along fine now. The accident was a similar situation. And as for staying out all night, I told you that Peyton had been drugged."  
"I understand. But the real sin that night was that you didn't call home. You just let me worry."  
"I said I was sorry then and I'm sorry now."  
"I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on you, Luke. I'm just trying to point out that the bad behavior started when you joined the basketball team. It didn't start when you started seeing Brooke Davis."  
Lucas cast his eyes down at the ground. "Are you going to make me quit the team?"  
"Should I?"  
Lucas shrugged. Again, Karen waited for him to say something. When he didn't, she took his chin in her hand and forced him to look her in the eyes.  
"I think that when you joined the team a lot of unresolved issues having to do with Dan and Nathan bubbled to the surface. That's what this is all about. And if we're going to solve all of this, then we're going to have to face our demon - one Mr. Dan Scott.  
"Lucas, I want you to see a therapist. Deb recommended one. Nathan has been having a lot of success. And it won't hurt for the two of you to see the same counselor. Perhaps you can even have some joint family sessions."  
Slowly, trying not to show how defeated he felt, Lucas nodded his head. "If I agree to this, can I date Brooke?"  
Karen shook her head. Lucas tried to hide his surprise.  
"You have to do one more thing, before I agree to that," she continued. "You have to work things out with Keith. You're mad at him, because he lied to you. You feel betrayed. But Lucas, you betrayed him a hundred times. You lied to him every time you went out with Brooke and asked Nathan to lie for you. You betrayed him when you behaved badly. You wouldn't have tried half the things you did if I was home."  
Lucas hung his head. "Okay. I'll see a therapist and I'll talk to Keith."  
"Good," Karen said, triumphantly slapping her knee. She unfolded her legs and stretched before standing to her full height. She offered her hand to Lucas, who took it before standing up. "I'll make an appointment with the therapist and you go talk to your uncle."  
"Now?"  
"No better time like the present."  
Fortunately, Keith wasn't home yet and Nathan called Lucas inviting him to hang out. Karen reluctantly agreed to let him meet his brother. She wanted him to stick around to talk to Keith, but she didn't want to interfere with Nathan and Lucas's tenuous relationship.  
So Lucas agreed to meet Nathan at his house to shoot some hoops. They were still focused on breaking Dan's scoring record at their next game against Cove City. It was only days away and Nathan wasn't confident that he would be able to do it.  
"You've been scoring well above his record during our practice games."  
"I know," said Nathan, bouncing the ball against the pavement. "But this team doesn't have a vested interest in keeping me from scoring. Cove City wants to win against us. Especially since they've already lost to us once."  
"You'll do it," assured Lucas, grabbing the ball from Nathan and dunking the ball in the basket. "Want to play a game of horse?"  
"Sure. You lead."  
Lucas bounced the ball three times, ran up to the hoop, jumped and dropped the ball in the basket. Nathan caught the ball on the rebound and mimicked Lucas's move. When the ball went into the basket, Lucas took possession of the ball, walked to the side of the court and took aim.  
"Did your mom come down hard on you because you covered for me?" Lucas knew that Keith had given Nathan his ultimatum the day before. He figured by now Nathan had time to fess up to Deb.  
To Lucas's astonishment, Nathan shook his head. "She was annoyed, and made me promised I wouldn't do it again, but she left it at that."  
"What about you?" asked Nathan, grabbing the ball as it fell from the basket. "Has your mom had it out about everything that went down while she was away?"  
"This afternoon. Guess what. We're both going to be seeing the same shrink."  
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Lucky you." He missed the basket and gave himself an H.  
He handed off the ball to his brother when Lucas's cell phone rang. It was Karen asking him to come home for dinner. Keith was home. 


	20. Making Ammends

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews.  I was so iffy about the last chapter… and the positive words helped.  Enjoy the next update.

Usual Disclaimers apply.

            Lucas wasn't sure how Nathan tolerated sitting in this office twice a week.  The walls were dark paneled wood, decorated with a few framed classic movie posters.  The shag carpeting was a putrid green, dating the room back to the early seventies, before Lucas was a glimmer in his mother's eye.  The room was depressing and he wondered how Dr. Respler was supposed to help people with their problems, if merely the room's appearance was enough to send anyone into a deep depression.

            "So what do you expect to get out of this, Lucas?" asked the therapist.

            Lucas studied his fingernails, before picking up his gaze to look Dr. Respler square in the eyes.  "I expect to stay on the basketball team and to be able to date the girl I like."

            The doctor nodded.  He leaned back in his plush leather chair, and crossed his legs.  Like a girl, noticed Lucas.  He didn't cross his legs like a typical guy.  "So, you were forced to come here."

            "I didn't put up much of a fight, but yes, I felt forced."

            "That doesn't mean you can't get anything out of it.  You can make the best out of a bad situation."

            "I guess."

            "So what's the catalyst that brought you here?"

            "My uncle Keith."  And while Lucas's mind drifted back to the week before when Karen had forced him and Keith to eat dinner and talk things over, Lucas told the doctor about his relationship with Keith.

***

            When Lucas came home from Nathan's house, the scent of a home-cooked dinner wafted through the air.  He could tell his mother had prepared his favorite Lasagna recipe.  There was freshly baked bread to go with it and a vegetable soup to start the meal.

            "I prepared a plate for myself, but I have to go back to the café and take care of some things.  Why don't the two of you enjoy one more dinner alone?"  With that, Karen grabbed her coat and purse and skirted out of the house.

            "I think we were set up," said Keith.

            Lucas nodded, trying to suppress a smile.

            "Well, we haven't had a meal like this in a long time.  Better not let it get cold."  Keith pulled out a chair and sat down, motioning for Lucas to take the seat across from him.  While Lucas sat down, Keith broke off a chunk of bread from the small loaf and passed it to Lucas.

            "I didn't realize how much I missed your mom," said Keith, savoring the freshly baked bread.

            "You mean her cooking?  I won't tell her what I heard."

            Keith's lips widened to a smile.  He picked up his soupspoon and started eating.  "Come on Lucas, dig in."

            "I'm not that hungry."

            "Not even for your mom's cooking?"

            Lucas shrugged.  "I promised her we'd talk and clear things up."

            "And that has your stomach in knots?  We're in real trouble if our relationship deteriorated to that."

            Lucas looked down at his plate and played with his place setting.  "I guess I'm sorry."

            "You guess?"

            "I'm still mad."

            "You can be mad.  But you have to understand that I was looking out for you.  I called your mom, because I knew you needed her.  That night, when you came home and," Keith hesitated a moment, but continued.  "When you came home and cried about Dan, I realized that I had been doing wrong to keep this from Karen.  You're her life, Lucas.  She wants to be there for you."

            "I know.  But she's been there for me all my life.  I stole some of her best years.  All she was asking for was six weeks.  Six weeks so that she could follow her dream."

            "And who prevented her from keeping her dream?  I couldn't keep her in the dark about everything that was going on.  It's one think to hide that you got a tattoo for a little while.  They don't come off, so she was going to find out one way or another.  And we caught the blood poisoning in time, so that little white lie was also excusable.  But if you kept going the way you were, she was going to come back to a son she didn't recognize.  As it is, she's having a hard time comprehending who you've become these past few weeks."

             "I haven't changed that much."

            "You just don't see it."

            "Whatever."  Lucas took the first spoonful of his soup while Keith was busy wiping the bowl clean with a chunk of bread.

            "Explain it to me, Luke.  Are you mad because I punished you?  Because I told you to stay away from the girl you liked or because I called your mom?"

            Lucas put down his spoon.  "Fine.  I deserved to be grounded.  But you once told me you wouldn't try and tell me what to do.  That you weren't my father.  Yet this whole month that's exactly what you did."

            Keith wore a pained look on his face as if he had been kicked in the groin.  "While your mother was gone I was in _loco parentis_.  I had to make those sorts of decisions.  I'm not saying I didn't make any mistakes, but no parent is perfect."

            Seeing the look on his uncle's face made Lucas cringe.  "I'm sorry.  I did it again.  You're the only dad I've known and I keep throwing it in your face that you're not my real father."  Lucas stood up and threw his napkin down on the table.  "I'm sorry.  I'm sorry that I'm such a jerk."  He walked off, leaving his uncle alone.

            Keith stood abruptly, pushing his chair back so hard it toppled over.  "You are not a jerk!"  

He walked briskly, catching up with Lucas in the living room.  Lucas didn't turn around, but kept on walking.  Keith reached out and grabbed Lucas's arm, swinging his nephew around to face him.  Keith took Lucas's face in both his hands and held it close to his face.

"We're family Lucas.  Father-son.  Uncle-nephew.  It doesn't make a difference, because we're family.  And as family, when we make mistakes, we forgive each other and go on.  Do you understand me?  We **can** forgive each other and move on.  Do you hear?"

Lucas slowly nodded his head, squeezing back the tears that were welling up in the corner of his eyes.

"Good.  Now sit down and eat your dinner.  Your mother will be highly insulted if you don't eat her lasagna.  And I know it's your favorite."

***

            "Lucas.  Are you with me?" asked Dr. Respler.  The older man peered into Lucas's face.  "Where were you?"

            "I was just thinking about Keith."

            Dr. Respler nodded.  "It was a good session, Lucas.  I'll see you next week at the same time?"

            "Sure."  Lucas stood, waved, and left the room, glad to be out of there.  His mother was waiting for him when he came out of the office.   

"How'd it go?" she asked.

            He shrugged.  "Okay, I guess.  It was a start."

            "Good.  You're being a real trooper."

            When Lucas got home, he tried to call Brooke again.  After four rings, the answering machine picked up.  She was avoiding his calls and she was avoiding him at school too.  In class, she chose the seat farthest from the one he took.  When he tried to catch up to her in the hall, she ducked the other way or surrounded herself with a bunch of her cheerleading friends.  It seemed as if every time he tried to get Brooke to talk for a moment, she went the other way.

            "Brooke, it's me Lucas.  I'm not trying to stalk you or anything, but we should talk about the other day.  I thought we were okay, but how come you won't talk to me?  Please, please call me back.  Try me at home or on my cell."

            "Mom," shouted Lucas grabbing his keys, wallet and phone.  "I'm heading over to Nathan's."  Maybe Nathan would have an idea what was up with Brooke.  He hated to admit it, but his little brother had more experience with girls.

            Karen came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel.  "That's not a good idea, Lucas.  Deb told me Dan was coming over for dinner."

            "Oh."  

            "Haley's closing the café tonight."

            Lucas smiled.  "Thanks mom."  Haley always had a good ear.  She had been his ear most of his childhood.  

            He sprinted to the café.  Haley was putting up the chairs when he walked in.  "Can I help you with that?"

            "Lucas.  You're just in time."

            He took a chair and put it on top of the table.  "Yeah, it's good to see you.  What's up?"

            Haley shrugged.  "The chairs."

            "Very funny James.  Come on, it's been a while since we really talked."

            "Help me fill the sugar and salt shakers."

            "Sure."  He went behind the counter and took out a five-pound bag of sugar and handed Haley the canister of salt.  He opened up the first shaker and carefully poured in the sugar.  "I miss our talks."

            "So do I," she said.  "What's on your mind?"

            Lucas shrugged.  "Brooke won't talk to me.  We…. got…." Lucas didn't know how to word it.  "Pretty serious the other night and since then she won't talk to me."

            "Oh."  She gave him a meaningful look, and Lucas knew she understood him without having him having to spell it out.  "Maybe you need to give her some space."

            "I don't want her to regret it.  I don't blame her if she does, but…"

            "You know, Lucas, it wasn't her first time."

            "I know.  I'm aware of her history.  But this was different.  I don't know for sure, but I -- we meant something to each other.  I told her I think I love her."

            "Maybe that's the problem Lucas.  Maybe she was intimidated by your feelings."  Haley shrugged.  "I can't read her mind.  But give her some time to come around.  I'm sure she will."

            Lucas frowned, nodding his head.  He knew Haley was right.  He just didn't understand what had happened.  He also didn't want to stay away and have Brooke think he wasn't interested, because he was.

            "So Nathan is having dinner with his dad," Lucas said, changing the subject.

            Haley sighed, putting the filled shakers on a tray.  "Yes.  He really didn't want to go, but Deb made him.  She's making dinner at their house.  I don't think she had a choice.  Dan was in here the other day screaming about his rights and if Deb didn't start respecting them he would take her to court and file for full custody.  I think she was warding him off."

            Lucas grimaced.  Dan was insisting on his rights to visit with Nathan, yet he wouldn't even acknowledge his first-born son.  The irony was overwhelming.  He tried to hide the hurt on his face, but Haley knew her best friend too well.  She went up to him, and patted Lucas on the back.

            "I'm sorry."

            "Dan's the only one who has to be sorry.  Besides, I have Keith.  I couldn't ask for anyone better."

            They started to distribute the sugar, salt, and pepper when someone started rapping at the doors.   Haley looked up and a smile spread on her face.  "Hey, it's Nathan."  She ran to the door and opened it.  She didn't give him a chance to walk in, but immediately threw her arms around his shoulders.

            She didn't notice Nathan wince, but Lucas did.  And the minute she took her hands off of him, Lucas spotted the red welt on Nathan's cheek and a hint of purple around Nathan's eyes.

            "How'd that happen, Nathan?"  

            Haley gasped and threw her hands over her mouth.  "Oh my gosh, Nathan.  Who did this to you?"

            "The guys from Pinkerton found you?" Lucas asked.  He remembered the three immense basketball players who had harassed them when Whitey had thrown them off the bus.  They had been dumb, but they had been scary looking.  That experience had afforded Nathan and Lucas the first chance to try and work together and was probably the first time they had bonded.  But the guys from Pinkerton had been looking for revenge ever since.

            Nathan shook his head.  "It was Dan."


	21. Beating

All usual disclaimers apply

"Dan did that to you?" cried Haley.  She stepped back from Nathan, taking in the sight of her boyfriend.  His usually pressed clothes were rumpled.  His eye was turning a deeper shade of purple as they stood there.  And from the way Nathan was standing, Haley could see his ribs must be bruised.

"That son of a bitch," Lucas yelled.  "I'm going to pound him to the ground."  Lucas stormed to the door, ready to bolt, but Nathan held out his hand, holding him at bay.  

"First off, you probably won't find him.  My mother chased him away, and I don't know which hole he crawled back into.  Second, I couldn't take him.  We're pretty evenly matched Lucas.  If he did this to me, he'll do the same to you.  Maybe worse, because I'm the son he supposedly loves."

Lucas stopped at the door, thinking over what Nathan said.  "Okay.  Fine.  But you're going to tell us how this happened."

While Haley went into the kitchen to make an icepack for Nathan, Nathan slowly walked to the counter to sit on his favorite stool.  He took a deep breath and started to tell his brother and girlfriend what took place earlier that evening.

****

            Nathan walked into the kitchen, inhaling deeply, taking in the aroma of the cooking food.  "Smells delicious," he told his mother, sitting on one of the high stools.  "What's cooking?"

            "Dinner," replied Deb, while she cut vegetables for the salad.  "Your father will be here in thirty minutes.  Are you going to wear that?" she asked, pointing the knife at his shirt.

            Nathan looked down.  "What's wrong with this?  I was wearing it all day."

            "Maybe that's the problem.  You look disheveled.  Go up to your room and change.  Graciella put some pressed button-down shirts in your closet."

            "Come on Mom."

            "Nathan, don't argue with me.  I'm anxious enough as it is about this little family dinner."

            Nathan sighed, but did as his mother told him.  As he walked up to his room, he noticed that the table was set in the dining room.  They only ate Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner in there.  On occasion when important company came over, they ate there too.  All other meals were in the kitchen.  He wondered why his mother was going all out if she was trying to dissuade his father from coming back, unless she was doing the opposite.  Suddenly, Nathan felt his stomach tying up in knots.  He had felt so relaxed the past months without his father's constant presence.  He hoped his mother hadn't changed her mind and wasn't trying to woo Dan back into their lives.

            He took his time changing and by the time he was finished, Dan had arrived prompt as usual.  Nathan tried to ignore his father's outstretched arms, but Deb pushed him into the embrace.

            "It's good to see you, son.  How have you been?"

            "Fine."

            "Descriptive," said Dan.

            "Not much is doing," said Nathan.  "Nothing to be descriptive about."

            "Why don't we go into the dining room?" Deb interjected.

            "So formal?" asked Dan.

            "We only use the dining room for guests, I just wanted to remind you that you're now a guest in this house."

            Dan's square jaw clenched.  Nathan could see his father restrain himself from saying something bitter.  But Nathan relaxed, as if he could finally breathe again, when he heard his mother.  For her sake, he tried to hide his smile.  He didn't want to irritate Dan anymore than he was already was.  

            Dan and Nathan adjourned to the dining room, while Deb went into the kitchen to bring out dinner.  Nathan noticed Dan heading to his usual place at the head of the table, but Deb hadn't set for him there.  Deb had set her place at the head, but Nathan and Dan were across from each other.  Warily, Dan sat down.

            "How's school, Nathan?  Midterms should be around the corner."

            "Thanks to Haley my grades have come up.  I should pass," said Nathan.  At the very least, he thought, I should be able to stay on the team.  He didn't want to say that aloud to Dan, because he wanted to procrastinate any discussion of basketball.  He knew Dan couldn't go very long without bringing it up.

            "Are you still seeing that girl?"

            "That girl," he said snidely, "has a name.  It's Haley.  And yes, we're still dating. She's really amazing.  Not like the other girls I've dated."

            "She's definitely not like the other girls you dated."

            "Dan," said Deb, upon entering the room, "I see you've started on the pleasant conversation already."  She placed the serving tray on the table.  "Shall we eat?"  Deb took her place at the head of the table, and pointed to the empty places.

            Nathan guardedly sat down.  

            "So Dan how is business at the dealership?"  Deb passed the chicken to her soon to be ex-husband.

            "It's been doing very well.  Business has been picking up a lot lately.  This looks delicious, Deb.  Did Graciella make it?"

            "No. I actually cooked this on my own.  Karen gave me the recipe."

            Nathan noticed Dan started to grind his teeth at the mention of Karen's name.

            "You two have become quite close. Bosom buddies."

            "Dan, don't start."

            He looked down and cut into his chicken.  "Nathan, tell me how practice has been going.  You're playing Cove City tomorrow.  Are you ready?"

            "Sure."  Nathan didn't tell his father how ready he was.

            "You have a chance to break my record again."

            "I know.  And I will."

            A chortle escaped Dan's lips.  "Like you did last time?"

            "Dan!  That was uncalled for."

            "You're not going to do it," Dan said, ignoring his wife.  "You don't have the stamina.  You don't have the commitment to the game.  You're more interested in your girlfriend and your new found brother."

            "You make it sound like we never knew about Lucas.  Like he was just discovered.  You've known about Lucas all of his life.  Mom and me on the other hand-"

            "Enough, Nathan," said Deb.

            "Stay out of this Mom."

            "Don't talk like that to your mother.  Apologize."

            "Don't tell me what to do," cried Nathan.

            Dan stood.  "Apologize now."

            "What if I don't?"

            Before Nathan knew it, Dan reached crossed the table and slapped him across the face with an open hand, leaving a red mark on Nathan's face.  "It's time you learned some respect."

            "Who the hell do you think you are?"

            "Nathan," urged Deb.  "Please."

            "I'm your father.  Just because I don't live here anymore, doesn't mean that's changed."

            "I probably would have been better off if you had abandoned me, like you abandoned Lucas."  Nathan started to stalk out of the room, but he had to pass Dan before exiting.  

His father roughly grabbed his arm.  "Apologize to your mother or I'm going to show you to respect your elders the way my old man did."

"Dan leave him alone," Deb said regaining her composure.

Dan didn't avert his gaze from Nathan, but he told his wife, "You told me I wasn't paying enough attention to his behavior, that I let him get away with too much.  So now I'm not.  You can't have it both ways."

"That's not what I meant, Dan.  And you know it."

"Are you going to apologize, Nathan?"

Nathan looked Dan squarely in the eyes.  He was as tall as his father, maybe an inch or so shorter, but while Dan was built and muscular, Nathan had a slighter build. "No offense Mom, but I'm not doing anything **he** told me to do."  Before he finished his sentence, one of Dan's fists hit Nathan in the gut.  Nathan tried not to double over in pain.  Before he could right himself, the fist came again.

"Dan!" shrieked Deb.  "Stop you're hurting him."

The fist came again.  "Dan! Stop."  When she saw he wasn't going to stop, and he hit Nathan twice more in the gut, she ran from the room.  For a split second Nathan thought she was abandoning him.

"Are you ready to apologize?"

Nathan couldn't even get a word out; he was fighting so hard to catch his breath.  He was about to give in and just say he was sorry, it wasn't like he was even angry at Deb, he just wanted to stick it to Dan, when Dan's fist landed on the side of his face and then his eye.

Nathan started to fall to the floor, but Dan's firm grip was holding him up.  His vision was slightly blurred, but Nathan saw his mother return with a large knife in one hand and a phone in the other.

"Let go of Nathan now," said Deb, "Or I swear I will use this on you."   She edged closer to Dan and placed the tip of the knife against his throat.  "Leave now."

"You're crazy, Deb."

"Leave now."

Dan let go of Nathan and shaking his head, he left the house.

****

"As soon as I heard his car squeal out of the driveway, I apologized to my mom and ran out of there," Nathan finished telling his story.  

"What an asshole," Lucas said, punching the counter with his fist.  "So his father abused him, that's an excuse to hit you!"

"Why didn't you apologize?" Haley asked softly.

"What?" Lucas cried, whirling around to face Haley.  "Are you saying Nathan provoked him so it's okay."

"No.  Get a grip Lucas.  I was just asking Nathan a question.  He did provoke him.  It's not an excuse, but I was wondering why you did it?"

Nathan shrugged.  "I don't know.  But Haley, he's never gotten so violent with me.  I had no idea."

"I'm not passing judgment," she assured him.  She kissed him lightly on his swelling eye.

"Owe," he said recoiling from the gentle touch.  "Sorry it-"

Nathan didn't finish what he was saying, because Keith dashed into the café.

"Nathan, are you okay?  Deb called and told me what happened."  He approached Nathan and whistled softly.  "My brother did that?"

"Yes."

"Uncle Keith, you can't let him get away with this."  Lucas put a hand on Keith's back.  He was relieved to have his uncle there.  It made Lucas feel safe, because he knew Keith would take care of it.

"I won't," said Keith severely.  "Dan will pay."

"Keith, don't," said Nathan.  "This was my fault."

"No.  It wasn't," Keith said sternly.  "This was not your fault.  Dan is the adult."

            "I just don't want things to get worse.  He works out.  He can take you."

            "I had no intention of beating him up.  I had every intention of calling the police.  But first I'm taking you to the emergency room.  I want a doctor to take a look at you.  They'll probably call social services in."

            Reluctantly, Nathan followed Keith.  All the arguments had left him, as his uncle gently took him by the arm and led him to the car.  He noted how tender his uncle's touch was compared to Dan's.

            "I'm coming," insisted Lucas.  

            "So am I," said Haley.

            Keith started to protest, but after he surveyed the room he knew there was no point in disagreeing, they would probably just come to the hospital on their own.

            Deb met them in the emergency room.  It felt like déjà vu to Lucas.  It was only a month earlier that he had been there because of blood poisoning and Nathan was there because of his amphetamine overdose.  But this time, he and Nathan were there together in support of each other.

            It was nearly an hour, before Nathan was taken for examination.  He was given a small cubicle that was curtained off and told to change into a hospital gown.  As soon as he was changed, Lucas was sitting with him.

            "Do you think you'll be able to play tomorrow?"

            "I don't know.  I'm pretty sore."

            "I think you should play."

            "Huh?"

            "I think you should play," Lucas said sternly.  "Because you are good, man, and even in your injured state, I know you can beat his record.  If you want to hurt Dan, that's how you're going to accomplish it."

            "You're right.  And I'm going to play."  Nathan stretched out his hand and slapped the palm of Lucas's hand.  "I'm going to beat his record so badly, he's going to blubber like a baby."

            "Now that's the Nathan I know," Lucas said as the doctor walked in to examine his brother.


	22. Kiss and Make Up

Sorry it took me so long to update.  Besides the fact that these past ten days or so have been busy, I've also had trouble getting this chapter out. I reworked it a couple of times before it actually worked.  I hope you like it.

Usual disclaimers apply

            "You okay Nathan?"  Lucas asked, studying his brother the next day.  They were walking down the hall, killing time before homeroom.  Nathan's eye was purple, but luckily it wasn't swollen shut.  "Can you see okay out of it?"

            Nathan nodded.  "I'm okay.  Sore, but okay.  Slept with a heating pad and finished a half a bottle of Tylenol.  Hope it doesn't show up on the next drug test," he said with a wry smile.

            Lucas patted his brother on the back.  "Can you play?"

            "Whitey doesn't think so.  But I told him he couldn't bench me tonight."

            "And he listened?  Since when does Whitey listen to you?"

            "He said he'd think about it and let me know at the end of the day.  But like I said, I'm not sitting this game out.  I'm going to break that record."

            The bell rang and the boys separated, heading to their respective classrooms.  

When the bell rang, announcing sixth period, which was lunch for Lucas, he made a beeline to meet Haley.  But before he could find his best friend, he saw Brooke from the corner of his eye.  She still wouldn't return his calls and seeing her made him realize he couldn't let her avoid him forever.  

"Brooke," he called out.  He ran a few steps, trying to catch up to her.

Brooke stopped and turned when she heard her name.  Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when she realized it was Lucas.  When he got too close, Brooke turned again and started to flee down the hall.  But Lucas was quick and in three long strides he caught up with her and managed to grab her arm.

"Brooke.  Please," he said.  "Please talk to me."

"Not now, Lucas.   Not here," she said.

"Then when?  Where?" he asked, his voice rising.  He didn't want to sound angry, but he felt frustrated.  Why wouldn't Brooke talk to him?  What had he done wrong?

"Lucas, please," she pleaded.

"Brooke, we have to talk.  I miss you."  He moved closer to her so that his body pressed against her.  "I want to hold you."

 "You know this school has a no public display of affection policy.  You might want to put a few feet between you."  Lucas jumped as Mr. Kelly, their Language Arts teacher, put a hardcover book between them, trying to nudge them apart.

Brooke's lips turned up into a smile.  "Then the school should look into changing its policy."  But she took a step back from Lucas, relieved to put some space between him.  His scent made her dizzy, as if she was intoxicated.  

Mr. Kelly laughed and moved on with a small wave.

Brooke was about to escape, but Lucas caught her arm again.  "Brooke, please don't ignore me anymore."

With a heavy sigh, she nodded her head and followed Lucas to the nearest exit.  It was chilly outside.  The air was white as if it was about to snow.  Only a few students scattered the courtyard so it was easy to find a quiet place to talk.  Lucas dragged Brooke behind him, grabbing the nearest picnic table.  Brooke was shivering, so Lucas took off his coat and gave it to her.

"You only have a tee shirt on," she said, hands at her side, refusing to take the coat.

Lucas shrugged.  "I'm not cold."

"Are you sure?" When Lucas nodded Brooke gratefully wrapped the jacket around her shoulders and sat down across from him.  "The tattoo looks good."

"My mom loved it."

"Really?"

Lucas laughed.  "I think she wanted to slap me upside the head."

"But she didn't."

"No.  Her exact words were, 'I won't punish you, because that would be redundant, but if you do anything like that again you won't see light until you're old enough to be a grandfather."

"I don't even think my mother knows I have a tattoo."

"It's not like it's in a very visible place."

"True," she said with a chuckle.

For a moment there was an awkward silence.

"Brooke," Lucas said, leaning forward, taking her hand into his.  "I don't want to sound like an ass, but what did I do?  I thought you were okay with – well – with,"

"Having sex?" she finished for him.  "You're cute when you're uncomfortable."

"I'm serious.  I thought we both wanted to – to have sex."  He didn't know why he couldn't say it.

"We did.  You didn't do anything wrong. It was just –" Brooke took a deep breath.  "When I went home that night I was ecstatic.  I felt like I was floating on air."  She twisted the ring on her finger.  "I took a shower and thought about how your hands felt on my body.  I went to bed and thought I could still smell your cologne on my sweater.  I thought I would have sweet dreams and instead, I had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?"

"It was weird.  You know how it is when you dream at night, images come and go unconnected."

"Yeah," agreed Lucas.

"It started out sweet.  We were together, holding each other, kissing, touching.  And then you started to fade away.  You became all grotesque and sickly.  And then I started to disappear.  I became skinnier and skinnier and then there was a doctor saying I had AIDS.  I know it's stupid –"

Lucas cut her off.  "It's not stupid.  It's real.  I mean I hope it's not real, but it's a real possibility.  We were supposed to wait and we didn't."

"I freaked out.  I guess I thought if I avoided you then it wouldn't be real.  It couldn't happen."

"We used protection.  And the first test came back negative.  It could all be a bad dream."

"Or it could be real.  You could test positive for HIV and I could test positive."

Lucas took Brooke's hands in his and said nothing.  She looked Lucas in the eye and gave him a shy smile.  "Brooke we should be in this together.  You shouldn't avoid me and do this on your own.  You could have come to me."

"I thought it would get better if I stayed away from you."

"And did it?" asked Lucas.

Brooke shook her head.

In the distance, the bell rang signaling the end of the period, but neither of them moved.  

"I love you Brooke.  And the other night didn't go down like I imagined, but I don't regret it.  I only regret we didn't wait to make sure I was okay.  But I'm going to take the test tomorrow."  The words tumbled out of Lucas's mouth.  He squeezed her hands, hoping Brooke would say she loved him too, but not expecting it.  He remembered how Peyton reacted when he told her how he really felt.

Brooke squeezed Lucas's hands in return.  "I love you too," she said quickly.  "But we should get back to class."  She stood and unwrapped Lucas's jacket from her shoulders and handed it back to him.  "You coming?" she asked.

"You just said you loved me and you expect me to go back to class."

"Well, yes.  We're in high school.  That's what the law requires of us."

"Fine.  If you say it again I will go back to class."

"Say what again?"  Brooke walked backwards into the building, her arms outstretched, their fingertips touching.

"Oh, don't make me pull it out of you.  Say it again.  Slowly, so that I can savor every word."

"Which words?" She teased.

"You're being evil."

"I've been called a devil before, but never evil.  But I guess it's pretty close." 

"Say it," Lucas insisted, "Or I won't go back to class."

Brooke giggled, a impish smile on her face.  She stood straight and rigid, trying to signal Lucas with her eyes.  It took a moment, but he finally saw her pointing behind him.  He swung around to find Mr. Kelly again.  

            "Now I don't have to be offended, Mr. Scott.  You don't only try and ditch my class."  Mr. Kelly checked his watch.  "You probably can make it to class and still get away with just a warning.  Why don't you try it?  I'm sure Coach Durham would be disappointed if you couldn't play tonight."

            "Okay, I get your drift," said Lucas.  He started walking down the hall, but turned and called out to Brooke, "You'll say it again.  I know you will."

            Keith waited for Dan in his office.  He toyed with the magnetic sculpture on his brother's desk.  He molded it into a bat, the one he wished he had to bash his brother's head in.  He then swung the collision balls and watched them knock each other back and forth.  After five minutes or so, Dan walked in.

            "Hey big brother, what brings you here?"

            Keith stared at Dan's square jaw trying to visualize his fist connecting with it.  He clenched his fist, but kept it firmly in his pocket.  The sight of his little brother had never disgusted him so much.

            "Nathan asked me to come."

            There was a brief silence while Dan studied his shoes intently.  "Is he okay?"

            "He'll live."

            "I didn't mean to—Keith you've got to believe me. I did not mean to lose my cool like that.  He was trying so hard to piss me off and I just let him get the better of me. I feel awful."

            "If you want me to make this okay for you, I won't."

            "That's not it."

            "Then what?" asked Keith, keeping his voice just below a shout.  "You should be in jail for the beating you gave that kid.  You nearly broke his ribs."

            Dan sat down and held his head in his hands.  After a moment he looked up and Keith and said, "You said Nathan asked you to come.  What did he want?"

            "For some unexplained reason he wanted me to make sure you came to his game tonight.  He didn't want you to miss it."

            "He's playing?" asked Dan, barely keeping the incredulous tone out of his voice.  "But –"

            "But you beat him to a pulp?  He has something to prove tonight and he wants you there, so for once in your life do something right by your son."  Keith started for the door and turned to Dan.  "You never know you might have a chance – with both your boys."

            Dan turned to the pile of paperwork on his desk without saying good-bye to his brother.


	23. The Game

I wrote myself into a corner.  I have a lot banking on this upcoming basketball game, but I know very little about playing the sport.  So, those readers who know a thing or two about basketball please excuse all my erroneous errors.  Also, I realized I messed up.  The first and second AIDS tests are supposed to be six months apart, not six weeks apart.  Don't know why I switched it in my mind. But I went back and made the corrections.

Usual disclaimers apply.

            Sweat was pouring down the top of Nathan's head, down to his basketball jersey.  The score was forty-three to thirty-six with the Ravens in the lead.  Nathan had scored thirty-three of the points and even though it was the last quarter; Nathan could taste victory.  For the first time he could remember, he didn't care if the team won or not, but he wanted to make sure that he scored at least ten more points.

            He could see Deb, Haley, Karen, and Keith sitting together in the third row of the bleachers.  They were clapping and cheering along with the other Tree Hill Raven fans.  Every so often, Haley would smile and wave.  Nathan hadn't missed Dan sitting by himself at the far end of the bleachers.  He had searched for Dan, was seeking him out, because when he scored his forty-third point he wanted to look over and see Dan's face.

            When the Cove City coach called a time out, Nathan walked over to the sidelines and wiped his face dry.  Lucas patted him on the back and said, "We're going to do this."

            "We are," Nathan agreed.  "What do you get out of this?"  He asked suddenly, realizing he had never asked Lucas what was his motivation.  Though he wasn't sure why he was asking now, when he was moments away from accomplishing his goal.

            "I want to see Dan's face when you beat his record.  I want to see his face when he realizes that you did this.  I want him to see us working together to best him.  I want him to see that despite him we decided we're brothers."

            Nathan raised his hand and Lucas slapped his palm.  "Let's do it."

            "Scotts," called Whitey, "Are you two finished bonding or can we discuss some strategy in the thirty seconds we have left?"

            But the whistle blew calling the team back to the court.  Whitey glared at them, waving them out to the floor.  But deep down he know the game was theirs and he didn't have reason to complain.

            Cove City had possession of the ball, but that quickly changed when Lucas managed to steal it from one of the players.  He ran back to their end of the court, dribbling the ball beside him.  Looking up, he didn't stop, but checked to see if Nathan was open.  He wasn't.  He moved towards the basket, hoping to distract the players so he could pass the ball.  It worked and Lucas passed the ball to his brother.  Nathan caught it and took the three point shot.  Thirty-nine points.  Three more points and he tied Dan's record.

            Jake caught the rebound and made the next basket, but this time Cove city took possession of the ball.  Lucas ran down court and tried to steal it back.  Two large players from the other team flanked him, leaving no room to get around them.  Nathan was also following the ball with no more success than his brother.  At least he thought, he might be able to steal the rebound.  But Lucas stole the ball before Cove City could score.  

            As soon as Nathan was open, Lucas passed him the ball.  He looked over to Brooke who was wearing her cropped cheerleading sweater and mini skirt.  He gave her a quick smile, but immediately turned his attention back to the game.  

            Once again, Nathan dribbled the ball, took aim and the ball smoothly sailed into the basket.  

            Lucas heard the announcer say, "And Nathan Scott scores again.  That makes forty one points for this talented basketball player, just one point shy from tying his father's scoring record that has not been broken to this day."

            Tim had an open shot, but passed the ball off to Nathan.  He gave his friend a reassuring nod and Nathan took aim again, scored one point and tied his father's scoring record, but Cove City took the ball and it didn't look like they were going to give it up.  The whistle blew and Whitey called a time out, their last one of the game.

            The front of Nathan's jersey was drenched with sweat.  Even more so than last month's game, when Nathan had been on the amphetamines.

"Listen up," Whitey said.  "Nathan, you can easily break Dan's record.  I hope you do, but don't lose site of the goal of this game.  We want to win."  The coach continued instructing the team on how they should get the ball back.  It didn't include giving Nathan the scoring shot.

As the whistle blew calling the team back to the court, Lucas slapped Nathan on the back and said, "Don't worry.  We're going to do it."

And they did.  With less than a minute left on the clock, Lucas found Nathan open and passed him the ball.  Nathan was the three-point line.  He took a deep breath, stared at the basket and visualized the ball going in and Dan's face.  He stole a glance at Dan and noticed his father was the edge of his seat.  It looked as if he was rooting for Nathan to make the basket, but Nathan knew better.

In the background the announcer was saying, "Nathan Scott has the ball.  He's either going to try and make the basket or he's going to pass the ball off.  With thirty seconds left on the clock, which will he choose?  If he makes this basket, Nathan Scott will have broken the eighteen-year old scoring record made by his very own father."  Mouth quietly spoke into the microphone which broadcasted live on his website.  "And here it goes boys and girls, Nathan Scott takes aim and –"

The ball went into the basket.  A roar went up in the crowd.  Nathan leapt up in the air, and Lucas met him up there.  The two brothers hugged on the court, forgetting there was still time left on the clock.  But the buzzer rang, signaling the end of the game and giving yet another win to the Ravens.

The team surrounded the Scott brothers, patting them on the back, slapping each other five.  Whitey came up to Nathan, stretched out his hand and said, "congratulations," to his young charge and then walked away.  

Lucas hung back after the initial excitement.  His eyes searched for his mother and Keith, but they were busy trying to congratulate Nathan.  Unwittingly, his eyes landed on Dan.  The elder Scott looked at his younger son longingly for a moment, but hastily retreated when he saw Lucas studying him.  Dan scurried out of the gym without congratulating or berating Nathan.  

Lucas had imagined satisfaction at seeing Dan retreat.  He imagined that all the rage inside of him, the contempt he felt for Dan would dissipate and that he could move on with his life.  But it hadn't.  Silently, he moved into the locker room and was the first one in the shower.  He let the hot water fall on his back like needles pricking him.  When would the hatred and sadness leave him?

He didn't tell anyone he was leaving, but just started to jog off the high school campus towards Riverside Park.  The crisp air hit him against the face, but Lucas didn't notice the chill running down his back because of his wet hair.  He was to wrapped around his own thoughts to notice.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a horn beeping behind him.  He turned around and saw Brooke waving to him from the driver's seat of her Volkswagen Beetle.

"Come on Luke," she called, "Put your butt in this car."

"I just need some alone time, Brooke."  He continued to run, but Brooke followed along in her car.

"Your mom, Keith, and Nathan were all worried about you.  I had to practically threaten everyone to stop them from looking for you."

That made Lucas stop.  "Thanks Brooke."

"You can pay me back by getting into the car.  We won't go anywhere you don't want to go."

Lucas sighed.  "And we won't do anything we really don't want to do?"

"Been there.  Done that.  Come on in, Scott.  I won't rape you."

With a laugh, Lucas walked over to the passenger side of the car and jumped into Brooke's convertible without opening the door.  "I was heading to Riverside Park," he informed her.

"That's where I was heading.  I was just lucky to meet you on the way."  They drove in silence.  "It was a good game."

"It was," he agreed.

"I thought you wanted Nathan to break the record.  Why'd you run off?  He thinks you're mad at him."

"I'm not."

"I know that.  But he doesn't know that."

"I know."

"You've got something good going between the two of you, it would be a shame to ruin it."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Not on purpose no."  Brooke pulled up to the basketball where Lucas loved to play.  It was dark, the lights that usually illuminated the court were out.  "What happened out there?"

"Nathan broke his dad's record."

"I was there.  I saw that."

"And I thought it would erase all those empty feelings I had.  For some reason, I thought it would erase the hate and empty feeling Dan left in me."

Brooke squeezed Lucas's knee.  "He's not going to change.  You can't keep expecting him to.  I keep thinking my parents will change, and that they'll pay more attention to me.  I thought that when we got in trouble that time in Whitey's office things would change.  They'd think I was out of control and in need of more supervision.  After five-minutes or so they lost interest again.  They brought me into this world and they can't be bothered to raise me.  I know it's not the same as what Dan has done to you, but there are some similarities."

"There are," he concurred.  "But I thought if I helped Nathan do this, I could cut whatever strings, however tenuous they are, that's binding us together.  And I can't.  I have the most wonderful father and friend a person can have in my uncle Keith and still I want Dan to acknowledge me."

Brooke didn't know what to say, so she reached over and hugged Lucas.

"Maybe one day, you'll get it.  For now," she finally said, "You have your mother, brother and uncle waiting for you.  Nathan wants to share this moment with you.  You should give it to him."

"Okay.  Let's do it."  He banged the side of the car with one hand and waved her on with other.  "To Karen's Café."

Gavin Degraw's CD was playing when they entered his mother's restaurant.  Tables were pushed aside and Nathan and Haley, along with some of the other members of the team and cheerleading squad were dancing in middle of the floor.  Deb and Karen were busy behind the counter, cutting cake and passing it around along with drinks from the soda fountain.  Whitey and Keith were unobtrusively sitting on the side.

Lucas went straight to his mother to apologize for running out on her, but she waved him away and motioned to Nathan.  So Lucas pushed his way to the middle of the dance floor and tapped Haley on the shoulder.  "May I cut in?" he asked.

"I don't swing that way," said Nathan.

"Then can we go talk somewhere?"

"You can say what you need to say right here."  There was an edge to Nathan's voice, one that Lucas hadn't heard directed at him in a long time.

Lucas took a deep breath.  "You did good tonight.  I'm sorry I ran out on you.  I needed some alone time to digest this."

"You didn't get what you needed from this, did you?" asked Nathan.

Lucas shook his head.  "That obvious?"

Nathan shrugged.  "I thought it would make me feel better than it did.  Though, I can't deny the satisfaction of doing what I set out to do without the help of drugs."

"I'm happy for you Nathan, I truly am."

"And I hope one day, you get what you need from Dan."

"I won't hold my breath."  They shook on it.  But Nathan pulled Lucas into an embrace.  

"I couldn't have done this without my big brother."


	24. Epilogue

Well, this is it.  The story is done. I had such a great time doing this.  I can't believe it started with just a scene in my head and ended after twenty-four chapters!  I hope the end does not disappoint…  Usual Disclaimers apply.  I don't own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.  

Five Months Later

            Lucas had been counting down the days until he could take the second HIV tests, like a kid counting down the days to Christmas.  The only difference was that every so often the confident feeling that he was okay would leave him and knots would form in the pit of his stomach.  He tried not to let it show, but everyone would feel his moodiness.

            It was after the game against Cove City, where Nathan broke Dan's scoring record that the feelings started to come and go.  They came in school, and suddenly, Lucas couldn't care less about History, Math, or English.  It must have been obvious, because Mr. Kelly had called his mother in for a parent teacher conference.  She had grounded him on the very weekend he and Brooke had planned a big weekend.

            But that had been weeks ago, and Lucas had learned how to deal with his fear.  He had even discussed it with Dr. Respler, his therapist, so that the next time the dark mood took hold, he could deal with it without getting grounded or causing his mother to worry.  And while he snapped a little more often than he usually did, he learned to keep his mood in check.

            But this morning it felt as if a cinder block was sitting in the middle of his stomach.  Karen had already agreed that Lucas could take the morning off from school so he could go the clinic and take the HIV test.  The night before he had called Brooke and told her he would see her later in the afternoon, hopefully with good news.  He knew Brooke was waiting for the news with bated breath, even if she assured him a thousand times that she was okay and that she was over the initial freak out she had had.

            There was a knock on Lucas's bedroom door.  He pulled his tee shirt over his head and called for his mother to come in.  But Keith opened the door instead.

            "'Morning," said his uncle.

            "Hey Uncle Keith.  What brings you here so early?"

            "I spent the night," Keith said with a sly smile.

            "Too much information."

            "I'm kidding man."  Keith came into the room and sat down beside Lucas.  "I thought you might need a ride today."

            Lucas didn't know what to say.  He hadn't wanted Keith or Karen to know how worried he really was about the test.  That's why he had considered cutting, but realized the school was bound to call home to find out why he was absent.  So the night before he had casually mentioned to Karen that he was due for his second HIV test and he was hoping to take the morning off.  He thought he had been so cool that Karen hadn't noticed his apprehension.  Obviously, she was more perceptive than he gave her credit for, because he hadn't mentioned the test to Keith.

            "Come on, Lucas," Keith chided, "You shouldn't do this by yourself."

            "Thanks, man.  I'd love a ride."

            "That's what dads are for," said Keith, elbowing Lucas in the stomach.

            "I couldn't ask for a better one," said Lucas.

            Keith got up and tousled Lucas's hair.  "Your mom made an awesome breakfast and I don't plan on passing it up.  Will you join us?"

            "I'm just going to finish getting ready."

            When Lucas finally came to the breakfast table, Keith was on his second helpings of bacon and eggs.  There was a plate waiting for Lucas but he just pushed the food around, trying to make it look as if he ate.  His mother wasn't buying it.  Neither was Keith.

            "Lucas, everything will be fine," Karen assured.  "Please eat something."

            "I'm fine mom.  I'll eat after the test.  I promise.  I'm just nervous."

            "Keith, you'll bring Lucas to the café when you're finished?"

            "Yes ma'am."

            "Mom you worry too much."

            "It's a mother's prerogative.  I'll have your favorites waiting for you."  

            "Thanks.  Uncle Keith, you're ready?"  Lucas threw his napkin on the table and pushed his chair back.

            Keith put down his fork and said, "Let's go.  I'm supposed to be watching my weight anyway."  He walked around the table and gave Karen a quick kiss on the lips.  "Thanks for the grub."

            Karen smiled and lightly swatted Keith on the arm.  "Any time.  See you in a bit."

            When they were alone in the truck, Lucas turned to his uncle and said, "Thanks Keith."

            "For what?"

            "For saying what you did before, about that's what dads are for."

            "I meant it.  I enjoy the role – most of the time."

            "I still get angry at Dan and jealous of Nathan and wish I could get past it."

            "I know Luke.  I wish I could give you a way to do that, but Dan is Dan.  He's a jerk and I don't know that you'll ever be able to totally make peace with him.  I don't know if he'll let you.  I wish I could say you can ignore it, but you'll probably always have feelings, hate and confusion.  Can you live with that?"

            Lucas shrugged.  "If you're there for me."

            With a smile, Keith reached over the gearshift and patted the younger boy's knee.  "I'd like that.  And if things continue this way between me and your mom, well –"

            "Keith, I'm still a kid.  You're talking about my mom.  Please, ease up on the information."

            Keith threw his head back and laughed.  "A kid?  Kids don't do what I know you and Brooke were doing a few months back."

            Blood rushed to Lucas's face and his voice went up a few octaves as he cried, "Keith!  Please."  

            But Keith was glad, because he had succeeded in making Lucas forget what they were heading to do.  They couldn't avoid the reality for long.  Before they knew it, Keith pulled into the parking lot and the two Scotts were in the hospital's clinic.

            Lucas had to wait a half-hour to be seen, during which time he managed to bite all of his nails down to the skin.  He was relieved to finally stick out his finger and let the nurse prick him.

            "How long will it take?" he asked.

            "Not long," said the nurse with a smile.  "You can wait here or we can phone you with the results."

            Lucas looked to Keith.

            "It's your call man."

            "I guess we should wait with Mom."

            "Good choice."

            "Ready to eat?" asked Karen as her two favorite men walked in the diner.

            Lucas shook his head.  "Still have bricks in my stomach.  The nurse said they'd call within the hour."

            "So we'll wait here."  Karen came out from behind the counter and hugged her son tightly.  She had to stand on her toes, because Lucas was already taller than her.

            Lucas put on an apron and helped his mother wipe down the tables.  There were a few customers, but business wouldn't pick up until school was dismissed.  So when the bells jingled, signaling that a customer was entering, he looked up to see who it was.  He was surprised to see Brooke walking in.

            "Why aren't you in school?" he asked.

            "I thought you'd need me more than Mr. Kelly.  Besides, I'm not really into Hemingway."

            The bell over the door tinkled again and this time Nathan and Haley walked in.  

            "Nate?  Haley?  Why are you guys here in middle of the day?"

            Both Karen and Keith came out from the kitchen to see what was going on.

            "Don't worry," assured Nathan.  "My mom knows I'm not in school.  We wanted to share in your good news," he said turning to his brother.

            A huge smile spread across Lucas's face.  "I'm waiting for the test results.  We should be getting a call any minute."  He squeezed Brooke's hand.

            "Well, while we're waiting, how about some waffles?"

            "I could use some eggs," chimed in Haley.

            "That sounds good," said Brooke, "does it come with home fries?"

            "You bet," said Haley.  "Can I help in the kitchen?" she asked Karen.

            "Sure."

            Haley followed Karen into the kitchen, while Nathan, Brooke and Lucas slipped into a booth.

            "You guys are great for coming over."  Lucas looked at his cell phone to see if he had missed any calls.  Nothing.  "They should be calling real soon," he said, tapping his foot on the floor and his fingers on the table.

            "Luke," Brooke said, covering her hands, "You've got to calm down.  We all know you're okay.  They're just going to confirm it."

            Haley came out with their food; Karen and Keith were right behind her.  She slid a large plate of home fries in middle of the tables and gave Nathan his plate of waffles and eggs for Brooke and herself.  Haley slid into the seat next to Nathan.

            "Lucas!  What are you going to have?" 

            "Can't eat," he said with a nervous grin.  "I'll eat when the—" He was cut off by his cell phone ringing.  "Hello?" he said as he pushed the send button.  "Yes, this is Lucas Scott."  He was silent while he listened to the person on the other end of the phone.  He pushed the end button and looked up at the expectant eyes all around him.  "It's negative," he said.

            Karen clapped her hands in relief and turned to hug Keith.  She tried to hide the tears that were threatening to fall.  Lucas leapt from the booth, dragging Brooke behind him.  "We need some music to celebrate."  

            He led Brooke to the counter and fiddled with the radio to find a station that they would all like.

            "So we're okay," he said.

            Brooke bit her lip.  "I'm sorry that you had to go through this.  I know it's my fault.  I should never have taken you to that tattoo parlor."

            Lucas wrapped his arms around Brooke.  "You didn't make me do anything and besides.  It's all over.  I'm fine.  We're fine."

            "Does that mean you want to come over this weekend when my parents go away?  It'll be more comfortable than the backseat of my car."

            "You bet," he said and bent down to kiss her.

            Karen came over and cleared her throat.  "Lucas you need to eat."

            "You don't give up Mom, do you?"

            But Lucas just laughed and went back to the booth where his friends and family were sitting.  There was a large plate in front of his place with a heaping stack of pancakes and a pile of scrambled eggs.

            "I never eat that much!"

            "That's okay," said Nathan.  "I'll help you.  That's what brothers are for."

            "I don't mind a taste," said Keith squeezing in beside his nephew.

            And as the forks all dug into the food his mother had prepared; Lucas looked around and studied the scene around him.  He realized how lucky he was to have all these people in his life.  Sometimes, life didn't work out exactly as one would expect.  Maybe he'd never have the father who had given him life, but he had family and friends he would never trade in.


End file.
